ORANGEBURG, SC – Senior Whitney Wiley scored seven of her 11 points in the second half and Joi Walker, another senior tallied all nine of her total after intermission to lift SC State to a 37-33 victory over Savannah State Sunday at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.
SC State also got six points from Tracey Flowers and Trinese Fox came off the bench for five for Coach Doug Robertson's team. Flowers also led the Lady Bulldogs in rebounds with seven, while Walker added six boards.
The Lady Tigers were led by Darice Fountaine, who had a game-high 14 points to go along with six rebounds. Ezinne Kula added seven points and Alisha Nelson a game-high 10 rebounds and four points in the loss.
The host Lady Bulldogs trailed 20-9 at the half before outscoring the visitors 28-13 in the final 20 minutes to pull out the win and level their record at 1-1. The Lady Tigers dropped to 1-2 on the season.
SC State scored seven of the first nine points in the second half – five by Wiley – to pull to within 22-16 with 17:18 remaining. Savannah State's Jasmine Kirkland got inside for a basket and a 24-16 Lady Tiger with 16:52 showing but the Lady Bulldogs scored the next eight points to pull into a 24-all deadlock when Fox converted a layup following a steal with 13:23 on the clock.
Courtney Long put in a buzzer beater for a 26-24 Savannah State lead with 11:30 on the clock, but Wiley answered with a 3-pointer and a 27-26 SC State cushion with 11:13 remaining.
There were two lead changes before SC State built a 35-30 cushion on a Fox jumper at the 1:26 mark and the Lady Bulldogs hung on for the win.
Robertson's team returns to action Tuesday when they face Presbyterian in the first game of a doubleheader beginning at 5:30. The SC State men will meet Furman in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m.
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