Box Score ORANGEBURG, SC – South Carolina State built a 19-point lead with just over 13 minutes to play, then beat back a furious rally by Savannah State in earning a 55-48 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win over the visitors Saturday at S-H-M Memorial Center.
The Lady Bulldogs took a 46-27 advantage on a layup by
Tiana Hemphill with 13:01 left on the clock, however, the Lady Tigers, who got as close as five points late in the contest, outscored the host 21-9 the rest of the way.
SC State, which held on for the victory, snapped a three-game losing streak and also avenged an earlier 76-65 loss at Savannah State. Coach Doug Robertson's team climbed to 9-11 and 4-5 in the MEAC.
Trinese Fox had 12 points to lead four Lady Bulldogs in double figures.
Paris Alston added 11, along with seven rebounds, while
Tracey Flowers and
Tiara Knotts chipped in 10 each in the triumph. Flowers added a team-high nine rebounds, and reserve Hemphill pulled down eight boards for SC State.
“We didn't play particularly well, but we got the victory,” said Robertson. “We got off to a decent start and had a nice lead at the half (31-21). We really took charge early in the second half and had a big lead before letting them back in the game. But we regrouped and pulled it out, snapping a three-game losing streak and avenging one of our five conference losses.”
Savannah State was led by Ezinne Kalu with 14 points and three assists. Jasmine Kirkland tossed in 13 points and grabbed six rebounds and Jasmine Norman contributed 10 points in the loss. The Lady Tigers fell to 8-13 and 2-7 in the league.
SC State, which trailed by four, 13-9, early, took the lead for good when Alston made two free throws to break a 17-all deadlock and give the host a 19-17 advantage with 6:59 left in the opening half. Kalu made one of two from the charity stripe to pull Savannah State to within 19-18 with 6:29 on the first period clock before Robertson's team closed the period with a 12-3 run to build a 31-21 lead at intermission.
The Lady Bulldogs scored the first five points of the second half to build a 36-21 edge on a 3-pointer by Knotts. After two free throws by Kirkland pulled the Lady Tigers to within 36-23, SC State went on an 8-4 run to build their biggest lead of the contest – 46-27 – on Hemphill's layup with 13:01 left.
The Tigers did not quite, however. Kalu got a layup and added a 3-pointer to ignite a 14-3 spree that pulled the visitors to within 49-41 when Kalu made three from the line after being fouled while attempting a three-point basket with 6:25 on the clock.
Flowers made one of two from the line for SC State and a 50-41 advantage but Savannah State scored seven of the next 10 points to come to within five, a 53-48, but that was as close as the visitors would come as SC State's Fox scored the last two points from the charity strip for the final margin.
The Lady Bulldogs return to action Saturday when they travel to Greensboro, NC to meet the Lady Aggies of North Carolina A&T in the first game of a MEAC doubleheader, beginning at 2 p.m.
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