MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Jayla Crawford scored a career-high 30 points and Ayana Emmanuel added 19 as the Alabama State women's basketball team ended its six-game losing streak by defeating Jackson State, 74-67 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game on Monday night at Dunn-Oliver Acadome.
 
Crawford scored 23 of her 30 points in the first half to give Alabama State (2-11, 1-1 SWAC) their largest lead (41-30) halfway through the second quarter. The Lady Hornets shot a perfect 100 (7-of-7) percent from the free throw line and a season-high 52.9 (9-of-17) percent from the field to give them a 41-36 cushion going into halftime.
 
Jackson State (5-8, 0-2 SWAC) took their only lead of the game at the 2:40 mark in the third period after the Lady Hornets went scoreless for over four minutes.
 
A three-point play by Emmanuel to open the final stanza would ignite an 8-2 run to extend the Lady Hornets' lead to 63-53. The Lady Tigers refused to go away quietly as Kaisah Lucky hit two free throws to cut the margin to three with 56 seconds remaining.
 
That would be as close as Jackson State would get down the stretch as the Lady Hornets begin SWAC play with a split at home.
 
Crawford led all players with 30 points and five rebounds, while Emmanuel finished with 19 points, six rebounds and three steals. Shmya Ward, who narrowly missed a double-double, registered 11 points and nine rebounds. 
 
Marneisha Hamer paced Jackson State with 16 points, three rebounds and three steals. Jasmine Redmon chipped in 14, while Christina Ellis 13 points and three steals.
 
Inside the Numbers
Alabama State shot 48.1 (25-of-52) percent from the floor in the victory, while shooting 16.7 (2-of-12) percent from beyond the arc. They also finished at 64.7 (22-of-34) percent from the free throw line.

The Lady Tigers finished the day shooting 37.5 (21-of-56) percent from the floor, including 31.3 (5-of-16) percent from beyond the arc and 50 (20-of-40) percent from the free throw line.

The Lady Hornets registered 37 rebounds, while Jackson State had 35.

Alabama State finished with 34 points in the paint, 8 second chance points, 20 points off 21 Lady Tigers turnovers and 11 bench points.

Jackson State tallied 16 points in the paint, 31 bench points, 11 second chance points and 23 points off 29 Lady Hornet turnovers.

The score was tied five times and there were 10 lead changes.
 
QUOTABLES - Head Coach Freda Freeman-Jackson
Thoughts on tonight: "For the first time we played a team that ran out of steam before we did, so I am happy about that. Areleatha Gipson did a great job of controlling the tempo and overall, we muscled to win this one."

On Crawford & Emmanuel: "They compete against each other and it is exciting to watch. Crawford and Emmanuel compete everyday. After Emmanuel had a 30 point performance, Crawford came back and did the same thing. It is a good type of competitiveness to watch."

On other key players: "I thought Zomoria Clark stepped up big and Shmya Ward inside produced big minutes and played hard inside against a strong Jackson State interior. We will have to have inside presence going forward."

Looking at Pine-Bluff: "We have to be prepared to face a physical Pine-Bluff team and they are extremely physical. We will look to change the momentum and push the ball because we are best when we are in open court."
 
UP NEXT
Alabama State returns to action when its visits Arkansas Pine-Bluff on Saturday, January 12. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 pm and audio coverage provided by the Hornets Sports Network.
 
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