Brown-Haywood leads ASU charge

Khadija Brown-Haywood scored a career-high 25 points and tied a career high with 13 rebounds as Arkansas State (8-3, 2-0 Sun Belt) cruised to a 66-53 victory over South Alabama (4-7, 0-2) on Saturday in Mobile, Ala.

South Alabama turned the ball over four times early in the first quarter and Arkansas State used a 7-0 run to lead 16-6 after a layup by Dominique Oliver with 2:39 remaining in the quarter. The Jaguars cut into the lead, holding the Red Wolves scoreless over 3 ½ minutes, to trail 16-10 at the end of the quarter.

Arkansas State used another 7-0 run to start the second quarter to lead 2310. Brown-Haywood hit a three-pointer during the run and scored 11 points in the first half. Amanda Lawson scored 15 of her 20 points in the first half. The Red Wolves also took advantage of 13 Jaguars turnovers in the first half and held South Alabama to nine points in the second quarter.

ASU used a third 7-0 run in the third quarter to lead 43-31 after holding South Alabama scoreless for over four minutes. The lead grew to 5328 with 9:11 left in the game, but South Alabama went on a 15-2 run to cut the lead to 55-43 with just under five minutes left. Arkansas State responded with a 9-0 run to push the lead to 64-43.

Marquita Daniels led South Alabama with 17 points.

TROY 78, UALR 71

Ashley Beverley-Kelley scored 30 points while foul trouble and turnovers hurt UALR on Saturday in a loss at Trojan Arena in Troy, Ala.

UALR (3-8, 1-1) led 11-7 five minutes into the game. Kaitlyn Pratt finished the quarter with 11 points as UALR led by six.

In the second quarter, Troy (6-5, 1-1) began to pressure UALR, forcing turnovers that helped the hosts take the lead. Amanda Mendoza began the quarter with a four-point play, making a free throw after being fouled on a three-pointer. Beverley-Kelley followed with a three-pointer, giving Troy the lead at 22-21.

Alexius Dawn and Shanity James missed the final four minutes of the first half after they each picked up three fouls. Troy led 37-35 at halftime after shooting 52 percent from the floor.

UALR started the third quarter hitting its first four shots from the floor and making 9 of 10 free throws to take a 54-53 lead.

Deja McKinney hit a three-pointer to give UALR a 57-53 lead early in the fourth quarter, but two three-point plays and two jumpers gave Troy a 65-57 lead with seven minutes left. UALR cut the lead to 71-69 with 2:32 remaining but could get no closer.

Pratt scored a season-high 17 points to lead UALR. Sharde Collins also scored 17 points. Claresa Banks scored 13 points for South Alabama.

SOUTHLAND WOMEN ABILENE CHRISTIAN 61, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 49

Central Arkansas had one of its worst shooting games of the season, shooting 34.4 percent from the floor — including 10 of 41 in the first half — and saw its nine-game winning streak come to an end Saturday in a loss to Abilene Christian at the Farris Center in Conway.

The Wildcats (10-2, 1-0 Southland) led by seven points in the first half, but the Sugar Bears (10-2, 0-1) cut the deficit to one by halftime. Abilene Christian shot 46.7 percent from the floor in the second half, including 5-of-10 three-pointers, while UCA went without a three-pointer for the first time this season.

Brianna Mullins led UCA with 12 points and 6 rebounds. Abilene Christian’s starters scored all 61 points, led by 19 from Sydney Shelstead.