Final Stats
BOSSIER CITY, La. --On the strong efforts of Tanika Jackson and Shanice Merritt, the No. 7-seed Alabama State women's basketball team continued its inspired run at the 2010 Farmers Insurance SWAC Basketball Tournament with a 61-53 victory over No. 3-seed Alabama A&M Friday afternoon in semifinal action at the CenturyTel Center.
Jackson and Merritt each finished with 15 points in leading the Lady Hornets (13-16) to an appearance in the SWAC Tournament Championship game Saturday night. The win was the fourth in a row for the Lady Hornets and avenged a pair of regular season losses to the Lady Bulldogs (16-13).
Tandria Milton added 10 points and seven rebounds for the Lady Hornets, while Merritt also collected seven boards and blocked four shots.
AAMU got a game-high 24 points from Katrich Williams, the SWAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year. Nesfayia Watkins and Chasity Stover both chipped in nine points for the Lady Bulldogs.
“I was very proud of the ladies today,” said ASU head women’s basketball coach Freda Freeman –Jackson. “This was another game that was hard-fought and productive for our team. I am excited to have this opportunity to play in the championship tomorrow.”
Alabama A&M used a 9-3 run over the first seven minutes of the game to grab the early momentum. The Lady Hornets battled back and eventually earned the lead, 12-11, following a pair of free throws by Tandria Milton at the 8:48 mark.
The two squads took turns in front over the remainder of the period and headed to the locker rooms at the half tied at 23-23. The opening half featured five ties and five lead changes.
The Lady Bulldogs built a five-point lead, 34-29, with 15:15 left to play, but Alabama State again fought back forcing the eighth tie of the game at 34, just two minutes later.
From that point, the two team’s swapped baskets for the next several minutes until the Lady Hornets closed the game with an 6-0 run to seal the victory.
ASU will be appearing in the SWAC Championship game for the second time in the past four year and the fourth time in the Freeman-Jackson era. The Lady Hornets last SWAC Tournament Championship game was in 2006 against Southern University, a 61-58 loss.
The Lady Hornets will play top-seeded Southern Saturday at 5 p.m. on ESPNU for the 2010 SWAC title.
Southern swept ASU in the regular season this year posting 59-33 and 44-41.