Feb. 18, 2006

Final Stats

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A team that makes only one basket in the first half - or any half - of a basketball game rarely has an opportunity to discuss how it let a game get away at the end.

But Alabama State, despite missing 20 of its 21 first half attempts from the field against Alcorn State, missed some crucial free throws late before folding 59-51 to the Lady Braves at the Joe L. Reed Acadome Saturday afternoon.

The Lady Hornets (11-11, 8-5) trailed by 16 at the half but got within six points and had the ball inside the final minute. But Bama State missed five consecutive free throws and six of its last seven from that point to extinguish any shot at the big comeback.

"Anytime you only score 10 points in a half, it's going to be hard to win," head coach Freda Freeman-Jackson said. "We did a good job coming back but we didn't finish the game."

The first half was as ugly as it has ever been at ASU, as the Lady Hornets missed shot after shot from the field. At the very least, the missed shots were symmetrical with the first 10 missed shots coming in the first 10 minutes and the rest coming in the last 10. Only an Adria Harris 3-pointer at the 10:21 mark interrupted the shooting futility.

"We were ice cold," Freeman-Jackson said. "We had some go in and come out. But we just didn't do a good job executing our offense."

The score at the half was 26-10 but it could have been worse. Alcorn State shot only 36 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes and was barely better from the free throw line (7-of-17, 41 percent).

Alcorn State looked like it was on its way to a blowout when it took 45-26 lead with 10 minutes remaining. Alabama State would cut the deficit to single digits in the next five minutes but the Lady Braves quickly had the advantage back to14 with two minutes left.

Bama State made one final run, forcing turnovers by extending its defense. But the missed free throws cost ASU down the stretch as Alcorn State completed the season sweep of the Lady Hornets.

Frantina Coleman led ASU with 17 points, three steals and two assists.