The UALR women's basketball team has had more fluid offensive games than what it played Thursday night in Boone, N.C., but the Trojans still managed to keep their lead lead atop the Sun Belt Conference.
Shanity James scored 17 points to lead UALR to a 63-49 victory over Appalachian State on Thursday night. The victory kept UALR's one-game lead over second-place Arkansas State in the Sun Belt standings and secured its eighth 20-victory season in the last nine years.
The Trojans (20-3, 13-1) shot 40.4 percent from the floor and committed 14 turnovers, but held the Mountaineers (10-12, 6-8) to 35.1 percent shooting and forced 26 turnovers. UALR turned the turnovers into 28 points and also made 17 of 25 free throws.
James' 17 points tied a season-high, and it also helped make up for one of Taylor Gault's worst shooting performances of her career. The senior guard was 2 of 13 from the floor and finished with 6 points.
Keanna Keys, Alexius Dawn and Kiera Clark each added nine points for the Trojans, who had to hold off a Mountaineers charge after jumping to a fast start.
Bria Huffman led Appalachian State with 10 points, while Bria Carter had nine points and 13 rebounds.
UALR scored the game's first three points and led 13-2 after Sharde Collins' layup less than five minutes into the game. The Trojans extended their lead to 23-6 on a layup by Gault with 9:53 left.
The Trojans led 31-23 at halftime.
Appalachian State jumped to an 8-2 run to start the second half to get within 33-31 with 15:27 left in the game. James made 1 of 2 free throws to spark a 13-3 run to put UALR up 46-34 with 10:37 left. The Trojans led by nine or more points the rest of the game.
UALR hosts Georgia Southern on Saturday before a Thursday rematch with ASU in Little Rock. The Red Wolves defeated the Trojans 70-69 on Jan. 29 in Jonesboro.
ARKANSAS STATE 81, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 73
Aundrea Gamble scored 31 points to lead Arkansas State (17-7, 12-2 Sun Belt) in a victory over Georgia Southern (4-18, 1-12) at Hanner Fieldhouse in Statesboro, Ga. Gamble had 17 of her 31 points in the second half. She added 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals. Khadija Brown-Haywood finished with 17 points and Jessica Flanery had 10. The Red Wolves led 63-48 with 10:25 left, but Georgia Southern cut the lead to 75-69 with 1:09 to play. Gamble made four three throws down the stretch to seal the victory. Patrice Butler and Angel McGowen had 18 points each for Georgia Southern.
SOUTHLAND WOMEN
NW (LA.) STATE 54, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 52
Central Arkansas’ three-game winning streak came to an end Thursday night in a loss to Northwestern (La.) State in Natchitoches, La.
With the game tied at 52-52 with 21 seconds left and the Lady Demons (13-10, 8-4 Southland) in possession, the Sugar Bears (13-10, 6-5) — who had just two fouls in the half — intentionally fouled Janelle Perez twice to prevent the game’s leading scorer from getting a shot.
Northwestern State was forced to inbound the ball from the sideline with four seconds remaining after the second foul. The Lady Demons got the ball once again to Perez who was fouled in the act of shooting as she drove to the basket for a last-second attempt.
She made both free throws, giving Northwestern State a 54-52 lead and forcing the Sugar Bears to go the length of the floor with 2.9 seconds remaining. Brianna Mullins’ long-distance heave fell short at the buzzer, sending the Sugar Bears to their first loss since losing 75-72 in overtime to Nicholls State on Jan. 24.
Mullins led UCA with 18 points despite having three fouls in the first half. Perez led the Lady Demons with 19 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists.
Sports on 02/13/2015