Alcorn State Rides 3rd Quarter Run, Free Throw Shooting To Snatch Victory From Women’s Basketball

LORMAN, Miss. – TSU women’s basketball found itself in a familiar scenario early on once again on Monday but finished on the wrong end as Alcorn State roared back for a 76-66 win.

Anela Thomas’ layup capped a 14-4 run over the last two minutes of the first half and the previous three minutes of the second half putting the team up 46-34, but Alcorn State immediately responded with a 17-2 run to take a 51-48 lead late in the third quarter. A back-and-forth final 11 minutes would eventually see Alcorn State close out a tie game on a 6-0 run for a 72-66 victory.

TSU (2-26, 2-15 SWAC) looked like a team on a mission to spoil any chance that Alcorn State (11-16, 7-9 SWAC) had of making the postseason tournament, but the Lady Braves still have a chance and need to win their final two games and have Grambling State lose once.

Thomas ended the back-and-forth scoring in the early portion of the first quarter and nailed a three to put TSU up 10-9 with 7:01 left in the stanza. The basket began a 9-2 run covering 2:44 and see the Tigers take a 16-11 lead.

Micah Gray started the second quarter with a traditional and-one situation when she made a layup and converted the free throw after having been fouled to put TSU up 24-18. Less than 90 seconds later, the Tigers would find themselves ahead 28-20 thanks to a layup and pair of free throws all by Jaida Belton. With Texas Southern up 32-30 and 1:51 left in the first half, Belton’s layup would begin a 7-2 run to close out the half and giving the Tigers a 39-32 halftime advantage.

Add on another 7-2 run to begin the third quarter and you would have seen TSU’s lead swell to 12 at 46-34 with 7:18 left in the third stanza. It was at this point that the wheels fell off as Alcorn State would go on the aforementioned 17-2 run in the third quarter.

Down by one entering the fourth quarter, TSU would eventually see very similar numbers as ASU in the final period including both teams making two three-point shots and two other field goals each, but the game would be won at the free throw line.

ASU was 10-for-18 from the charity stripe while TSU just 5-for-6. More often than not, an 83.3 percent shooting percentage from the free throw line would win the game for someone, but when the other team shoots three times as many as you do, it can be hard to overcome.

Gray would be the lone Tiger in double-digit scoring with a game-high 26 points to go along with five assists, four rebounds and four steals for one of her most complete games of the season. Belton and Skye Green added nine points each. Destiny Brown was one of four Lady Braves to score double digits as her 15 points led ASU.
 
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TSU will close out its season with the roughly 50-minute trip northwest to Prairie View A&M University on Saturday, March 4 with a tip time scheduled for 12:30 p.m. live on HBCU Go.