JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --- The Jacksonville Dolphins program-best start to a season continued, as JU made it five games on the trot. Jacksonville defeated the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, 68-51, Saturday afternoon. This is JU's longest win streak since winning five straight in 2021.

The Dolphins (7-1) were led by freshman Tatum Brown, who scored 13 points while adding five steals and three assists. Brown spearheaded a strong defensive showing for the Dolphins, holding the Chanticleers to a season-low 51 points.

"We've been harping all week about guarding the basketball and guarding the three-point line," head coach Special Jennings said. "When you play teams that shoot it well, you're not gonna stop them from gettting shots off, you just have to contain the quality of shots that they get off, and I thought we did that tonight."

The first half was one-way traffic for the Dolphins. Jacksonville swarmed the ball, collecting six steals in the first two quarters. That tenacious defense held Coastal Carolina to nine points in the first quarter, while Brown got the offense in gear. 

In the second quarter, Jacksonville's offense kicked into overdrive, with Brown's 11 first-half points leading the way. The Dolphins rattled off an 8-2 run in the early second quarter to take a 30-15 lead.

With under a minute to play, senior Makiya Miller drilled a 3-pointer and Brown floated in a layup to give the Dolphins a 36-20 advantage at the half.

The Chanticleers pulled a little bit closer in the third, but Jacksonville's offense had enough answers to keep its double-digit advantage. Coastal hit a pair of early triples, but junior Bailey Burns answered with a 3-pointer of her own.

Brown cashed in a pair of points from the charity stripe to give Jacksonville a 54-41 lead through three. 

Junior Carmaya Bowman scored a layup to open the final quarter, then she drove hard to earn an and-one, converting the three-point play. The Dolphins offense wouldn't be the closer on this day, though, as the defense clinched a fifth-straight JU victory. 

Jacksonville held the Chanticleers without a point for the final four minutes of the game, allowing the Dolphins to pull away for the 17-point victory.

Game Notes

• Fifty-one points is JU's fewest points allowed against a D1 opponent this season. 
• The Dolphins held the Chanticleers to 27.7% from the field.
• Brown has recorded at least five steals three times this year.
• Jacksonville's bench outscored Coastal 25-15. 

Coach's Comments
"That first half, I think that's probably the best first have we've had thus far this season, just from everyone being on the same page offensively and defensively," Jennings said. "We've started some games where the defense will be great, but the offense isn't clicking, or the offense will be great, but on defense we're missing assignments. We were just firing on all cylinders today."

Up Next
The Dolphins will hit the road for a pair of power conference match-ups in the Lone Star State. Jacksonville will face reigning Elite Eight side TCU, Sunday Dec. 14. Tip-off is slated for 5 PM.