SHREVEPORT, LA – The Louisiana State University of Alexandria women's basketball team fell in a nail-biter, 62-61, to (RV) Louisiana State University of Shreveport in their regular season finale.
"The effort was there," LSUA Head Coach Billy Perkins said. "We just couldn't finish them off."
Jewel Jones led the Generals (21-7, 17-6 RRAC) with 16 points, while
Alexis Dyer finished with 15. Dyer finished 6-for-9 from the field including a 3-for-5 mark from beyond the arc.
Amani Gray recorded a team-high 10 rebounds.
Benedetta Peracchi dished out six assists and recorded three steals.
LSUA stormed out to a 22-10 lead over the Pilots (24-3, 23-1 RRAC) through the first quarter. Dyer recorded 13 points in the opening stanza. She shot 5-for-6 from the floor, including a perfect 3-for-3 mark from long distance.
The middle periods buoyed the Pilots, however, as they outscored the Generals 37-23. LSUS went 11-for-23 from the field over the middle quarters and missed only one free throw, going 11-for-12 at the free throw line.
Trailing 47-45 to start the fourth quarter, a three from Gray put the Generals ahead by one. The Pilots responded, shifting the score back in their favor, 52-48. Back-to-back baskets from
Justice Young and Jones swung the pendulum back to LSUA, 53-52, with 6:43 left in regulation.
A three-point play from the Pilots gave LSUS a 55-53 lead, but it was wiped away on the next possession by the Generals on a jumper from Gray, tying the game with 4:53 remaining.
The Pilots drained a three two possession later for a 58-55 lead. After a pair of free throws from Jones, a jumper from the Pilots extended their lead back to three. Another bucket for LSUS made it a five-point game, 62-57, with 1:41 left on the clock.
Peracchi scored the Generals' next four points in the final 104 seconds, but the Pilots hung on for the victory.
With the regular season over, the Generals turn their attention to the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament. The tournament begins on Friday, February 28. LSUA enters as the No. 3 seed.
