Box Score Winston-Salem, NC—March 5---Tiara Knotts scored 15 of her game-high 21 points in the second half and overtime, and Tracy Flowers added 10 key points to help South Carolina State outlast, Delaware State, 72-66 in the first round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's tournament at the Lawrence Joel Coliseum.

The Lady Bulldogs (13-15), the Number 7 seed, will advance to the quarterfinal round where they will face Howard University, the Number 2 seed on Wednesday at 2:30 pm.

The game was closely contested throughout.  The Lady Bulldogs got the early advantage when Paris Alston and Tiana Hemphill combined for 16 points en route to a 28-23 lead with a little more than two minutes left in the half.

But Delaware State (7-23), the Number 10 seed, closed the half on a 7-0 spurt to take a 30-28 lead to the locker room.
The Lady Hornets, buoyed by their end of the half run, used the momentum to take a 47-36 lead at the 10:54 mark of the second half.  Most of the damage was done by Delaware State's Tierra Hawkins, who proved to be unstoppable.  The MEAC Rookie of the Year, connected on 7 of 14 from the floor for 19 points while also grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds.

But Hawkins got into foul trouble and it opened the door for Knotts and Flowers, who fueled a 23-12 run that knotted the score at 59 in regulation.  Knotts, who added seven assists, knocked down a big three-point shot to tie the score at 57-all.  Delaware State's Keyanna Tate gave the Lady Hornets a brief 59-57 advantage only to have Flowers score a put back with 55 seconds remaining to tie the score and send it into the extra period.

“This game was indicative of the way our season has gone,” said SC State head coach Doug Robertson.  “We have big ups and big downs during the course of the game, but we find ways to get opportunities at the end.  I thought that the three by Knotts to tie the game really gave us a big spark.”

The Lady Bulldogs set the tone in overtime, scoring the first six points and holding the Lady Hornets scoreless for the first three-plus minutes.  It was Flowers and Knotts who teamed for eight of their team's points in overtime.

The Lady Hornets' scoring problems were magnified when Hawkins picked up her fifth foul with four minutes remaining in the extra period.

“I have to admit that I got the jitters every time she (Hawkins) got the ball,” confessed SC State Coach Robertson.  “She is such a dynamic player that we tried double teaming her, but even that did not work.”

Added Delaware State Coach Ed Davis.  “She is going to be one of the better players in this conference.  Today, she was able to produce offensively, but on defense she played like a freshman.  She was tentative.  It obviously affected what we could do in overtime with her not on the floor.”

Tasia Bristow added 18 points in a losing cause.

In addition to Knotts and Hemphill, who came off the bench, SC State got 12 from Paris Alston and 10 from Flowers.

SC State met Howard once this season and the Lady Bison, prevailed 69-46 on January 30 in Orangeburg.