Box Score MONTGOMERY—Alabama State University (5-7/3-1 SWAC) used a balanced attack led by 10 points from Jasmine Settles to defeat Arkansas-Pine Bluff (0-14/0-3 SWAC) 66-58 in Southwestern Athletic Conference women's basketball action.
 
The Hornets cleared the bench early and often while building as much as a 14 point lead in the first half against the Lady Lions.  12 of the 15 Lady Hornets scored with Danielle Gazaway and Millicent Jones adding nine points each while Settles was the only double-digit scorer for ASU.  Quentori Alford had a game-high 10 rebounds.
 
Neither team shot the ball well as both teams finished the game shooting 32 percent from the field.  ASU did hit seven three point attempts and UAPB hit two.
 
With the Lady Hornets holding a 13-point advantage coming out of the locker room at halftime, ASU outscored UAPB 13-3 to lead 45-22 after a Taila Arrington field goal.  ASU would go on to lead by as many as 25 points after Kierra Paige hit a layup to make it 56-31 with 7:10 left in the game.
 
From there UAPB went on a furious finish, outscoring ASU 17-0 at one point to get within eight (64-56) after a Miracle Pitts steal and layup with 26 seconds left, but the Lady Hornets would hold on for the eight-point win.
 
The win for ASU was their third consecutive win and also their third consecutive SWAC win.  ASU has not won three straight since the 2009-10 season, which is the same season they last won three straight games.
 
Lakendra Marsh led UAPB with a game-high 21 points and Chigozianyi Okwumabua had 18.
 
There were a total of 69 free throws shot in the game with UAPB connecting on 26 of 34 (76.5) and the Lady Hornets hitting 21 of their 35 (60 percent).
 
ASU out rebounded UAPB 46-45 while both teams struggled taking care of the basketball.  UAPB had 28 turnovers and ASU committed 20.
 
“I was feeling good until the last two or three minutes of the ball game, but at the same time I tried to reward some of the young ladies by the way they practiced and I may have put to many of them out there at one time,” head coach Freda Freeman-Jackson said.  “I wanted to give them an opportunity to play and they just did not play well coming off the bench and UAPB played well the last two or three minutes.”
 
“It was a good win for us.  We did have an opportunity to beat someone convincible but it wound up being a battle at the end.  It's been a long time since we won three SWAC games in a row so I am excited and proud of the young ladies believing in what we are trying to get across to them.  It was a good win going into the game against Alabama A&M.”
 
Neither team shot the ball very well in the first half, but the Lady Hornets were able to go on a run to put some distance between them and the Lady Lions.
 
The two teams were even at seven with 13:25 left in the half, but ASU went on a 17-3 run over the 10 minutes to lead 24-10 after two Arrington free throws.  The 14-point lead was the largest of the half for ASU.
 
The Lady Hornets will take a much needed break after playing four games in seven days.  They will host Alabama A&M in their next game on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 3 p.m.
 
-HORNETS-