HOUSTON | Alabama State erased a 12-point halftime deficit by outscoring Texas Southern 44–28 over the final two quarters to pull away for an 82–74 Southwestern Athletic Conference victory Thursday night at the Health & Physical Education Arena.
Caylee Simpson led a balanced Alabama State attack with 21 points as the Hornets placed five players in double figures and snapped a three-game SWAC losing streak. Alabama State improved to 6–11 overall and 3–3 in conference play.
Clearia Peterson continued her strong stretch with her third straight double-double and sixth of the season, finishing with 20 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 8-of-11 from the field (72.7 percent). Shamya Reid added 13 points, while Alanah Pooler and Kaitlyn Bryant each scored 10 to round out the double-figure scorers.
Texas Southern carried a 46–38 lead into halftime after closing the second quarter on an 11–2 run, using second-chance opportunities and trips to the free-throw line to build its largest advantage of the night.
Alabama State responded immediately after the break, opening the third quarter with a 15–3 run to regain momentum. Simpson sparked the surge with aggressive drives to the basket, while Peterson controlled the paint on both ends. The Hornets outscored the Lady Tigers 25–16 in the third quarter to take a 63–62 lead entering the final period.
The Hornets' defense tightened in the fourth quarter, holding Texas Southern to 4-of-17 shooting. Alabama State pushed the margin to multiple possessions behind efficient free-throw shooting and interior scoring, finishing the quarter on a 19–12 advantage to secure the win.
Alabama State shot 49.2 percent from the floor for the game and dominated the paint with a 46–22 scoring edge inside. The Hornets also converted 18-of-25 free throws.
Taliyah Logwood led Texas Southern with a game-high 29 points and 10 rebounds, but the Lady Tigers shot just 37.3 percent overall and were held to 23.5 percent shooting in the fourth quarter.
Alabama State will return to SWAC action on Saturday as the Hornets battle Prairie View A&M at 2 p.m. in Praire View, Texas.
