GAC MEN ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO 90, ANGELO STATE 81
Arkansas-Monticello (8-2) overcame a 12-point deficit and earned its sixth consecutive victory, beating Angelo State (10-2) on Saturday at Steelman Fieldhouse in Monticello.
The Boll Weevils led 23-11 with 13:16 in the first half but rallied to take a 44-40 lead into halftime. UAM used an 8-2 run early in the second half to extend its lead to 56-46. The lead never fell below six points until the final four minutes of the game.
UAM made 5 of 6 free throws in the final 43 seconds to seal the victory.
Jared Harrison led UAM with 23 points. Brandon Sims added 17 points and Brandon Wilson had 14.
HEARTLAND MEN TEXAS A&M-INTL 71, ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH 69
Kevin Jefferson’s floater with no time remaining gave Texas A&M-International (9-3, 2-0 Heartland Conference) a victory over Arkansas-Fort Smith (7-3, 0-2) at the Kinesiology and Convocation Building in Laredo, Texas.
Jefferson drove to the lane with three seconds left and made his shot inside the free-throw line.
Johnel Gray led Texas A&M-International with 15 points.
Jake Toupai scored 18 points to lead Arkansas-Fort Smith, which trailed 35-33 at halftime. Alex Cooper scored 16 points and Xavier McClish added 15.
GAC WOMEN HENDERSON STATE 72, MISSOURI S&T 68
Henderson State (7-2) outscored Missouri S&T (4-5) 9-2 in the final 4:50 to earn its fifth consecutive victory at the Duke Wells Center in Arkadelphia.
The Lady Reddies trailed 66-63 with 4:50 left. Taylor Washington made two free throws to pull the Lady Reddies within 66-65.
The score remained 66-65 until Tiara Davis hit the first of two free throws to tie the game at 66. Davis missed her second free throw, but Krystal Beachum was there to get the rebound and get the put-back bucket to give the Lady Reddies the lead at 68-66.
Karli Sample scored on a break-away basket for the Lady Miners to tie the score at 68 with 2:35 to play. It was the 14th tie of the game.
Aungelique Sledge led Henderson State with 16 points, including five three-pointers. Davis added 12 points and eight rebounds.
Toni Knar led Missouri S&T with 22 points.
ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO 101, CROWLEY’S RIDGE 44
Nikki Mullen scored 19 points in 20 minutes and added 5 rebounds and 5 assists in Arkansas-Monticello’s rout of Crowley’s Ridge College at Steelman Fieldhouse in Monticello.
The Cotton Blossoms (5-4) held the Lady Pioneers to 13-of-42 shooting (31 percent). They scored 45 points off 36 turnovers.
Monique Biggins and Vivianna Carter scored 13 points each. Donlicia James added 11 points, while Tamia Grady and Jordan Goforth had 10 each.
Hanna Kirk and Jordan Shelton led the Lady Pioneers with 10 points each.
Lyon scores upset at Grambling State
Riley Jenkins hit a game-winning three-pointer with 3.3 seconds remaining as Lyon College upset NCAA Division I Grambling State 55-54 Saturday night at the Fred Hobdy Assembly Center in Grambling, La.
The victory, which was an exhibition for Lyon College and does not count in the season statistics or record, was important for the Scots, who play in the NAIA’s American Midwest Conference.
“I’m so proud of these guys right now, I just can’t explain it,” first-year Lyon Coach Chad Tapp said. “We had a lot of challenges this season and tonight, and every player that went in the game [against Grambling] responded and just wouldn’t quit. I talk to them all the time about finishing, and they came through and did it tonight.
“I think this kind of win will go a long way to making us a better team.That’s what it’s all about. I’m not saying, by any means, that we are where we want to be, but this game shows we’re making strides to get there.”
The Scots (2-8) were coming off a 88-64 loss Thursday night to Philander Smith College. But despite falling behind by as many as five points in the first half, and trailing 47-37 with 7:34 remaining, Lyon continued to battle back before taking its only lead of the second half when Devonte Young drove the length of the court and then drew the defense into the paint, before kicking the ball out to Jenkins for the game winner.
After a Grambling timeout, the Tigers (1-6) threw the ball three-quarters of the length of the court to their free throw line, where Ben Worlow knocked the ball out of bounds. However, despite the fact that no player appeared to have touched the ball, the clock had run out. The officials gathered at midcourt and discussed the play and gave Grambling 2.3 seconds and the ball on the sideline at the three-point line.
After another Grambling timeout, Young knocked away the inbounds pass and Jordan Layrock came up with the loose ball as the buzzer went off.
Layrock led Lyon with 17 points and eight rebounds.
Grambling (1-6), of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, was led by Terry Rose’s 14 points.
HEARTLAND WOMEN TEXAS A&M-INTL 81, ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH 65
Jessica Woo scored 17 points in 24 minutes to lead Texas A&M-International (9-2, 5-0 Heartland Conference) past Arkansas-Fort Smith (2-10, 2-4) in Laredo, Texas.
Jessica Prieto added 12 points. Brittany Holbert led the Lady Lions with 17 points. Maddy Backus scored 11 points while Sydney Franklin added 10.
Sports, Pages 27 on 12/22/2013