Women’s Basketball Wins SWAC Home Opener Against UAPB

Daeja Holmes and Taniya Lawson combined for 43 points as the Texas Southern women’s basketball team won its Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) home opener on Saturday evening.

Texas Southern (3-11 Overall, 2-1 SWAC) won its second conference game in a row as Holmes paced the offense with 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting, while adding six boards and five assists. Lawson followed up with 20 points, and Jaida Belton chipped in 14 points, seven boards, and  four blocks.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff (7-9, 2-1) was paced by Maya Peat who registered 21 points on 7-of-15 shooting and added eight boards.

Holmes came in hot with two back-to-back threes to open play. The game stayed fairly close the entire time as the Golden Lions were up 19-18 by the end of the first.

UAPB led by as many as eight points, (39-31) with 3:10 remaining in the second after a layup by Demetria Shepard, but the Tigers went on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit before UAPB closed out the first half with a layup by Peat as they led, 41-38.

The game was as close as an 80-point tie with 1:39 remaining. Texas Southern won the game at the charity stripe as Lawson went to the twice after being fouled by Jelissa Reese. Shomari Phillips closed out with a pair of free-throws.

Up Next
Texas Southern will remain home as they take on Mississippi Valley on Monday, Jan. 15 with a 12 p.m. tip-off.