GRAMBLING, La. – The Alabama State University women's basketball team avenged an earlier season defeat by going on the road to claim an 83-76 victory over Grambling State University in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play Thursday night.
 
Alabama State (13-14, 12-5 SWAC) moved to third in the overall conference standings with the win, which will be the highest possible seed heading into the tournament that the Lady Hornets can achieve with a Texas Southern win tonight.
 
"We knew going in it was going to be a tough task," Alabama State head coach Freda Freeman-Jackson said. "Anytime you go on the road against the top team in the conference, we knew they were going to be hungry to try and lock up the conference or at least a share.
 
"I gave our girls 10 keys to win and to win on the road. Our girls understood that, and although we have lost some games this year we should not have, we are still one of the best in the conference. We just have to put those behind us and try to peak at the right time with the tournament coming up."
 
Britney Wright continued her streak of double-digit games with a game-high 30 points and 10 rebounds – her second consecutive double-double. She finished the night 11-of-16 from the floor and 7-of-10 from the free throw line; while Danielle Clark added a career-high 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor – including 6-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc.
 
"It means a lot for Danielle (Clark) to play the way she did tonight," Jackson said. "It was good to hear a team keep calling out the shooter coming through the lane. Anytime we have our inside game going like we have, it will keep them from double-teaming us. She is playing like a senior should play."
 
Daniele Ewert added 11 off the bench for Alabama State, who finished the night shooting 64.4 (29-of-45) percent from the floor – including 57.1 (8-of-14) percent from beyond the arc. They also finished the night 73.9 (17-of-23) percent from the free throw line.
 
Alabama State scored the first basket of the game, and with a Grambling State basket with 6:25 to play in the opening quarter were tied just one time. The Lady Hornets never trailed in the game and went on an 11-0 run in the first quarter three minutes to take a 21-10 lead in the first quarter.
 
After Grambling State pulled to within four at 36-32 in the second quarter, Alabama State went on an 11-2 run to close the quarter and take the halftime lead 46-34. Clark knocked down all 22 of her points in the opening half, including hitting 6-of-7 from beyond the arc in the process.
 
The Lady Hornets would push the lead to as many as 19 in the second half before Grambling State mounted a fourth quarter comeback to pull to within three (79-76) with just 18 seconds remaining. Kayla Stephens and Ewert knocked down four free throws in the final seconds for the final margin.
 
Shakyla Hill led Grambling State with 16 points, while Jazmine Torian added 15 and Jazmin Boyd 13.
 
Alabama State returns to action on the road Saturday against Jackson State University to close the regular season, and with a win can lock up the third seed in the upcoming SWAC Tournament.
 
"You want to play good going into the tournament," Jackson said. "You want to improve on what you are doing well, and correct the mistakes and make adjustments. You always want to be playing well down the stretch heading into the tournament."
 
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