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HOUSTON, Texas – The 2013-14 season for the Mississippi Valley State women's basketball team came to a close Thursday afternoon following a 74-68 loss to Jackson State in the quarterfinals of the SWAC Basketball Tournament at the Toyota Center.

The Lady Tigers (15-14) outscored the Devilettes 38-31 in the second half and forced 31 MVSU turnovers to advance to Friday's semifinal game.

"The pace of the game and the way the game was played tonight, it was going to be a lot of turnovers because they pressed a lot," said MVSU head coach Elvis Robinson. "We just missed a lot of balls that were catchable balls….We just didn't get the stops that we needed to get."

But what the Devilettes (9-21) did get was a great effort by senior point guard Joncyee Sanders, who tied a career-high with 21 points, seven rebounds, six assists, three blocks and three steals. The Brandon, Miss. native made 6-of-9 shots and was just as efficient at the free throw line (8-of-10).

Meanwhile, Ashley Beals added 13 points and 11 rebounds while Jasmyne Sanders and Olivia Kennedy chipped in 12 points each. Kennedy came off the bench to make all four of her 3-point attempts.

 "Both teams played hard. (We) left everything on the floor," said Robinson. "(It) came down to a couple plays – as both games this season (against JSU) came down to."

MVSU led by one, 37-36, at halftime, but the Lady Tigers took control in the second half. JSU led by as much as 11 points in the second half, but the Devilettes slowly fought its way back. Kennedy and Jasmyne Sanders hit back-to-back 3's with 5 minutes remaining that cut JSU's lead to 60-57.

JSU responded with a 3-point play by Ayanna Hardy-Fuller that extended the lead back to six. Later in the half, with 2:40 left, Joncyee Sanders' free throws cut the lead to 63-61.

But the Lady Tigers went on a 8-2 run before Kennedy stopped Valley's two-minute scoring drought with her fourth 3-pointer of the game with 29 seconds left. Unfortunately, it was too late for the Devilettes, who had a final chance with a few seconds left but JSU converted a pair of free throws to seal the win.

The loss ends the Devilettes' season and the college careers of three senior players – Kennedy and the Sanders twins.

"One thing I that I talked to my team about in the postgame was about grit and grind," said Robinson. "When you're right there you have to grind it out. You have to get stops."