The Alabama State women's basketball team turned in perhaps their best quarter of basketball this season, and carried the lead into the fourth quarter before a final quarter collapse in losing to Troy 73-59 at the Dunn-Oliver Acadome on Tuesday night in a nonconference game. 
 
It was all playing out well for Alabama State (1-6) late into the third quarter as ASU was shooting well, holding a rebounding edge and containing a high-powered Troy offense that entered the game averaging 88.3 points. 
 
Danielle Ewert made a beautiful touch pass to Britney Wright underneath for a lay in to give ASU their largest lead of the night at 52-43 with 2:42 remaining in the third quarter.   
 
But on came Troy with a big rally toward the tail end of the third quarter that spilled over into a dominant fourth. 
 
The Trojans made a 7-2 run, mainly on the strength of free throws, to close out the quarter to get within 54-50. 
 
Eventually, Troy was able to tie it at 54 with 8:25 left in regulation on a lay in. 
 
Turnovers were costly as ASU committed 25 for the game and went without a point for over eight minutes as Troy took the lead for good at 56-54 with 6:50 left in the game. 
 
Troy outscored ASU 23-5 in the final quarter.
 
"We got away from what gave us our success," said Alabama State women's basketball head coach Freda Freeman-Jackson. 
 
"We had a nine-point lead and starting shooting the ball quicker.  We kept shooting the outside shot instead of getting the ball inside to Britney Wright, who was scoring, and our team stopped getting to the free throw line. We totally got away from our game plan.  Troy was able to get up and down the floor.  They've been averaging almost 89 points a game.  That's how they want to play.  We didn't want to play like that and we got caught up in the moment.  We've got to have better discipline." 
 
Troy (4-3) has now won the last five head-to-head meetings with Alabama State. 
 
However, ASU still leads the all-time series 15-12. 
 
Wright shot 6-of-13 from the field and led the Lady Hornets with 13 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot.   
 
Jasmine Peeples had seven points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. 
 
Ashanti Spencer had a season-high 12 points with a pair of 3-pointers, but turned it over on five occasions. 
 
ASU did come back earlier in the game after trailing by eight at the end of the first quarter.
 
Alabama State went on a 10-4 run to get within 23-22 after an offensive rebound and put back by Wright, a pair of 3-pointers by Danielle Clark and a layup by Ewert.
 
Wright drove and drew a foul for an old fashioned 3-point play, then added another basket on a hesitation move, splitting two Trojan defenders.
 
Off the inbound pass, Spencer connected on a 3-pointer from the wing to help ASU reclaim a 25-23 lead with 6:58 left in the second quarter. 
 
Spencer splashed again from downtown to give the Lady Hornets a 35-29 lead with 4:24 left. 
 
ASU put up a big 29-point second quarter to take a 41-36 lead into the break. 
 
In the first quarter, Troy junior guard Ashley Beverly Kelley shot 4-of-4 and scored nine as the Trojans outscored ASU 20-12.
 
Next, the Lady Hornets will host Samford on Thursday at 6 p.m.