ALABAMA A&M def. Kennesaw State, 73-66
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a 8-0 lead and never looked back Monday night in a 73-66 win over Kennesaw State. The win was the first of the season for the Lady Bulldogs (1-10) and snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Owls (10-3) of the Atlantic Sun conference. Janie Myles led a quartet of Lady Bulldogs who scored in double figures – a first this season. Myles scored 26 points and had a team-high 11 rebounds for her second double-double in just four games. Brooke Dixon had 15 points on 6 for 7 shooting from the field. Brittney Strickland added 11 and Alganese Gatson chipped in 10. The Lady Bulldogs shot 58 percent from the field in the first half, taking a 38-32 lead at intermission, and 50 percent in the second half. With about 14:50 left in the game, the Owls were within four points of Alabama A&M, trailing 48-44. But the Lady Bulldogs answered with a 16-5 run over the next seven minutes for their largest lead of the game, 64-49. The Owls then rallied, cutting the margin to 70-65 with 1:06 to play, but couldn’t get closer. Alabama A&M begins SWAC play Saturday when Jackson State visits Elmore Gym. The Lady Bulldogs tip off at 4 p.m.
Arkansas def. GRAMBLING, 77-35
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Playing in its final non-conference tune-up of the season, Grambling State fell 35-77 to the University of Arkansas at the Bud Walton Arena Monday evening. Yosha Watson led the Lady Tigers with nine points and added four rebounds. Shanice Poole added six points and snatched six rebounds. The Hogs led the way the entire game. Kelsey Brooks scored a game-high 15 points and Melissa Wolff recorded a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 boards to lead Arkansas. GSU shot 26.8 percent from the field, 8.3 percent from the three-point range, going one for seven, and 36.4 percent from the charity stripe. Grambling State University will kick off conference play at the Acadome as they face up with Alabama State University Lady Hornets at 3 p.m. on January 3.
Mississippi State def. ARKANSAS PINE-BLUFF, 83-26
STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 17 Mississippi State (15-0) defeated Arkansas Pine-Bluff (2-9) 83-26 Monday night at the Humphrey Coliseum. UAPB was led by Ajia Richardson and Destiny Ham who both had seven points apiece. Mollie Campbell tallied a team-best 11 rebounds, five being offensively. The Lady Lions shot 15.3 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from the free-throw line. The Lady Bulldogs were led by Victoria Vivians. She scored a game-high 16 points and one was one rebound shy of recording a double-double. Arkansas Pine-Bluff kicks off the SWAC play January 3 at 5 p.m.. as they host Mississippi Valley State at the H.O Clemmons Arena.
McNeese State def. TEXAS SOUTHERN, 74-70
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Texas Southern (3-8) falls by four points to McNeese State (6-5) Monday night to wrap up non-conference play. Coming back from an 11 point deficit to seal the win, the Cowgirls were led by Amber Donnes who scored a career-high 17 points. McNeese trailed 37-31 at the half. Texas Southern dominated the boards in the first half, outrebounding their opponent 21-11. But the Cowgirls wouldn’t give in as they came back in the second half looking to set the tempo. They went on a 14-4 run to take their first lead of the game, 50-49. Shortly following they went on a 12-7 run to take their largest lead of the second half. Texas Southern fought their way back to retake the lead 70-67 with 2:21 to play but back-to-back buckets by Talisa Boyd gave McNeese State a 71-70 lead with 1:04. The Tigers had several chances in the final minute to score but Johnson iced the game at the free throw line, scoring the Cowgirls’ last three points at the charity stripe. The Lady Tigers will travel to Lorman, Miss. to face Alcorn State January 3 at 3 p.m. as they kick off SWAC play.
Baylor def. PRAIRIE VIEW, 108-64
WACO, Texas – The No. 6 Baylor Lady Bears proved to be too much for Prairie View A&M on Monday as they defeated the Lady Panthers 108-64 in the non-conference finale for both teams. At the Ferrell Center on the Baylor University campus, Nina Davis scored 20 points to lead five Lady Bears scoring in double-figures. Senior guard Jeanette Jackson and junior guard Lamaria Cole scored 20 points apiece to lead the Lady Panthers. Cole, a transfer from Baylor’s Big 12 rival Kansas, scored her 20 points on 5-of-13 shooting with two 3-pointers and an 8-of-11 showing from the free throw line, giving her a career high. Alexus Paarker added 16 points and a team-high high four rebounds for the Lady Panthers. Her 16 points marked a season high. Baylor used its strength and size to outrebound the Lady Panthers 70-21. After taking a 15-8 lead over the first five and a half minutes of the game, the Lady Bears tightened their grip on the game’s momentum with an 11-2 run to take a 17-point lead. Late in the half, the Bears used a 10-0 run to stretch their lead 49-23, a 26-point advantage they would later take into halftime with a 58-32 score. The Bears held their largest lead of the game at 45 points when Niya Johnson’s jumper in the paint gave Baylor a 95-50 lead with 4:57 left to play. The Lady Panthers concluded the non-conference portion of their schedule with a record of 3-9. Prairie View A&M return to action Saturday when they open Southwestern Athletic Conference play at Southern University in Baton Rouge. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.
