Junior guard Nakiya Smith notched a double-figure performance with 14 points as Alabama State cruised to a 54-46 win over Alcorn State on Monday evening at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome.

“The press gave us huge problems down the stretch,” Head Coach Freda Freeman-Jackson. “They are so small, they get underneath you and when you think you about to pass the ball, and they come from behind you and knock the ball away. Also, they do a good job of playing the passing lanes, but we survived it.”  

ASU (6-12 overall, 4-3 SWAC) led by as much as 14 points (38-24) at the 14:37 mark, but Alcorn's press kept them in the game and brought the Lady Braves back to within six points (49-43) at the 2:06 mark. Alabama State never trailed in the contest.

Amaria Brown tied her career and season high point total with 13 off six-of-nine shooting from the field and added eight rebounds in the contest. Quentori Alford recorded nine points and had a team and career-high 17 rebounds.  

“I told my young ladies that we had to ball fake, because they were all over the place. The thing we're going to have to learn how to do is close out the half. The same thing happened on Saturday when we played Southern, the last three or four minutes we run out of steam while the other team gains momentum. Instead of going into the half up double-figures, we only go in by five points.”

The Lady Hornets took a 10 point (22-12) lead over Alcorn at the 11:47 mark, but the Lady Braves wouldn't be denied, ending the half outscoring ASU 10-5 making it a 27-22 ballgame.

Alcorn State (1-16, 1-7) was led by senior guard Carolinsia Crumbly who recorded 17 points in the contest.

“We're going to have to figure out a way to get a win on the road,” said Freeman-Jackson. “We have to win this weekend in order to stay in the race. We're going to have to get that game back that we lost here at home, so we're going to have to figure out a way to pick up a win at Prairie View and Texas Southern to stay in the hunt.”

Alabama State travels to Prairie View, Texas to challenge Prairie View A&M on Saturday, January 26 at the William J. Nicks Building. The contest has a 3 p.m. tipoff.