UALR 58, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 44
UALR didn't return to its blowout ways Saturday afternoon, but it did rebound nicely from its first conference loss of the season.
Taylor Gault scored 20 points, Shanity James added 17 and the Trojans beat Georgia Southern 58-44 on Saturday in Statesboro, Ga.
It came two days after UALR lost 70-69 at Arkansas State, which snapped its 10-game winning streak, string of nine consecutive conference victories by 20 points or more and trimmed its lead atop the Sun Belt Conference standings to less than a game.
UALR (17-3, 10-1) stayed in first place by playing better defensively than it did Thursday in Jonesboro. After letting ASU shoot 56.3 percent from the floor, UALR held Georgia Southern to 36.2 percent shooting (17 of 47) and 1 for 15 three-point shooting.
Anna Claire Knight had 13 points for the Eagles (4-15, 1-9) and Angel McGowan added 12.
Gault made 7 of 12 shots form the floor and 2 of 3 three-pointers, while James made 6 of 10 shots to finish with 17 points for the third time in the last five games. James added 10 rebounds
The Trojans led 26-23 at halftime and shot 52.0 percent in the second half to pull away. The Trojans scored the first five points of the second half to go up 31-23, then led 40-29 after Ka'Nesheia Cobbins' layup six minutes into the half.
Georgia Southern got within 48-41 with 7:28 left, but was 1 for 6 from the floor the rest of the game.
UALR struggled offensively in the first half, making 7 of 22 shots from the floor and never leading by more than five points against a Georgia Southern team that has lost six in a row.
ARKANSAS STATE 62,
GEORGIA STATE 47
Two days after giving its Sun Belt Conference title hopes a second jolt, Arkansas state kept rolling Saturday.
Aundrea Gamble scored a game-high 22 points, Jasmine Hunt added 15 and ASU beat Georgia State at the GSU Sports Arena in Atlanta.
The victory came two days after ASU upset previously unbeaten in conference UALR to get within a half-game of the Sun Belt leader. Saturday's victory was the Red Wolves' third in a row and came after they shot 46.0 percent from the floor and held Georgia State (8-12, 3-8) to 29.7 percent shooting.
ASU (15-7, 10-2) led 29-20 at halftime, then took a 39-22 lead on a Gamble layup four minutes into the second half. After Georgia State, got within 50-41 with six minutes left, ASU scored the next six points and Georgia State didn't threaten again.
"They were able to get some stops and got it back down to single digits on their home court and that gets you a little nervous," ASU Coach Brian Boyer said. "We settled down after that and stayed in our defense and that helped us withstand that run and close the game out and get a win."
Gamble made 9 of 14 shots while grabbing 7 rebounds with 4 assists, while Hunt made 5 of 9 free throws and those two scored 27 of ASU's 32 second-half points.
Hanna Qedan struggled from the outside, making 2 of 8 three-pointers and finished with 9 points, while Khadija Brown-Haywood added 7 for the Red Wolves.
Kennesha Nichols had 8 points to lead Georgia State, which was playing without its two leading scorers while losing its fourth consecutive game, and Ashlee Cole had 7.
"In the first half we were really good defensively," Boyer said. "We gave up a few too many offensive rebounds to let them stay in it, but overall I thought it was a really good effort by the team."
SWAC WOMEN
GRAMBLING STATE 75,
ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 56
Grambling State scored 28 points off 24 Arkansas-Pine Bluff turnovers and the Golden Lions lost their fifth consecutive game Saturday in Grambling, La.
Shakierya McClendon scored 27 points for Grambling State (6-13, 3-5), which shot 49.2 percent for the game and scored 32 points in the lane against UAPB (4-15, 2-6).
Charisse Carr had 13 points for UAPB, while Carlisha Walker added 11 points.
Sports on 02/01/2015