ALEXANDRIA, La. – The Louisiana State University of Alexandria women's basketball team fell to (RV) LSU Shreveport, 76-60, in a Red River Athletic Conference game.
"Defensively they're a good team – big, strong, and fast," LSUA Head Coach Billy Perkins said after. "We just got out of rhythm in the second half, trying to play catch-up."
Amani Gray and
Jewel Jones led the Generals (11-5, 8-4 RRAC) with 13 points each. All four of Jones' baskets came from beyond the arc.
Dannah Martin-Hartwick recorded 12 points. The trio recorded more than 50-percent of the Generals' points. Martin-Hartwick also led LSUA with eight rebounds and six assists.
LSUA scored 20 points in the paint, 21 points off turnovers, and tallied 11 second chance points.
The first quarter was tightly contested as both the Generals and Pilots (12-3, 11-1 RRAC) fought for momentum. A 4-0 run to open the game from the Pilots was negated by the Generals scoring the next seven points. Gray,
Benedetta Peracchi, and Martin-Hartwick combined for two free throws, a layup, and a three. The opening quarter saw seven lead changes and a level score five times. LSUS ended the opening frame ahead 22-20.
The Pilots opened the second the same way they did the first, grabbing the first four points for a 30-22 lead. A layup from Peracchi cut it to 30-24 with 6:37 on the clock. Neither team scored for the next three minutes. The scoring drought ended with a free throw from the Pilots, before
Traeshira Harry picked up a layup for the Generals. She went to the line on the Generals next possession and knocked down both of her shots, cutting the deficit to 31-28.
Trailing by three, 32-29, in the final seconds of the second quarter,
Reese Stephens knocked down a deep three as time expired to send the game into halftime even.
"Anytime you get a last shot second at a half or quarter, it gives you momentum," Perkins added. "We came out of the half and they hit a three, I'm not sure if that deflated us, but we couldn't get into our offensive sets."
The Generals struggled in the second half, turning the ball over 14 times in the third and fourth quarters. The Pilots managed an 11-point swing, ending the third period ahead 57-46.
LSUA is back in action on Tuesday, January 7, as the Generals host Texas A&M-Texarkana. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 PM in The Fort.
