Box Score Nakiya Smith scored 12 points on an off shooting night falling to UAPB 68-63 in women's basketball action Sunday evening at the H.O. Clemmons Arena.  The Lady Hornets fell to 4-12 overall, 2-1 in the SWAC, while the Lady Lions improved to 5-7 overall, 1-1 in the SWAC with the victory.
 
Chigozianyi Okwumbua led all scorers in the game with 14 points on shooting only 2-3 from the field, but converted a perfect 10-10 from the free throw line and pulled down three rebounds.  She was not the only double figure player for the Lady Lions, who out-shot Alabama State from the field 39.6 percent to 30.6 percent. Teammate Lakendra Marsh added 13 points to UAPB's win.
 
Amaria Brown scored a team high of 13 points shooting 4-9 from the field and 5-6 from the free stripe.  Kierra Paige and Danielle Gazaway both added eight points each.  Quentori Alford led both teams in the rebound category pulling down 11 rebounds (6 off- 5 def).
 
Alabama State made just 19-of-62 field goals, including just 20-28 from the foul line, but Arkansas Pine Bluff made 26-33 from the foul line.  UAPB forced only 13 turnovers and committed four more then the Hornets (17).  Alabama State scored 11 of its points off of turnovers and 20 points from second chance baskets and 34 of their points came from off the bench points.
 
Alabama State had just one lead in the first half and the Lady Lions led 32-31 at the intermission.  Alabama State shot 8-25 in the first half, but made 13-14 free throws.  ASU stayed in the game forcing seven turnovers while committing eight of their own.  With the scored tied 21-21 the first tie of the game saw the Lady Lions take a four point advantage off of ASU fouls.  Alabama State made two back-to-back fouls that gave UAPB their largest lead of the first half (32-27) with less than a minute left on the clock.

“We knew that is was going to be tough game on the road for us,” said Head Coach Freda Freeman-Jackson.  “We had situations that we just missed a lot of opportunities not getting “Q” the basketball and missing easy lay-ups that we should have made.  She has to do a better job and score around the basket.  Overall our time management down the stretch was not good. It was not any one player, it was my fault. We will improve in that area."

With 2:58 left in the second half Alabama State was down by as many as 11 points.  Paige's shot from around the arch made it a three point game (64-61) with 1:48 left on the clock.  ASU had some missed opportunities that left them falling to the Pine Bluff Lady Lions.
 
“I always tell my girls most games that can be won when it comes down to the wire can be best done at the free-throw line,” said Freeman-Jackson.  There is no way that you could step up to the free throw line and miss free throws and that was really costly to us.  We knew that playing on the road was going to be tough, and we can't make any mistakes that they may be costly.”
 
“I can't beat them up (the team).  What we are going to have to do as a coaching staff is coach them back up and get ready for Mississippi Valley Tuesday night.
 
Alabama State will return to the hardwood Tuesday night at 5:30 p.m. in Itta Bena, Miss. as they face the Delvilettes of Miss. Valley last year's regular season SWAC Champs.