Doss is boss in win for UAPB hoops
ITTA BENA, Miss. – Shaun Doss Jr.’s fifth double-double of the season led the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff men’s basketball team to an 82-59 victory over the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils on the road Friday.
UAPB will be the No. 7 seed in the Cricket Wireless SWAC Basketball Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., and will play at 2 p.m. Wednesday against either Prairie View A&M or Jackson State.
The Golden Lions (420, 3-12 SWAC) had four players score in double figures, led by 24 points by Doss, who also had a career-high 14 rebounds. Dequan Morris tacked on 17 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals off the bench, and Terrance Banyard chipped in with 12 points.
UAPB pulled down 45 rebounds in Friday’s game compared with Mississippi Valley State’s 26. The Golden Lions also put in work on the offensive glass, turning 13 rebounds into 21 second-chance points.
After jumping out to a 24-20 advantage, UAPB went on a 6-0 run with 8:30 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Banyard, to increase its lead to 30-20. The Golden Lions then lost some of that lead, but they still entered halftime with a 40-31 advantage. UAPB took advantage of seven offensive rebounds to score 10 second-chance points in the first half.
UAPB kept its lead intact and then went on a 9-0 run, finished off by Doss’ 3, to grow the lead to 55-38 with 13:02 to go in the contest.
WOMEN UAPB 57, MVSU 53
Khadijah Brown notched her ninth double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds to help the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women’s basketball team beat the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devilettes 57-53 on the road Friday.
The Lady Lions (3-18, 2-13 SWAC) had two players score in double figures, led by Brown. Kaila Walker had 12 points and eight rebounds, and Nissa Sam-Grant added five points and eight rebounds.
The Lady Lions were awaiting the conclusion of Saturday’s Southwestern Athletic Conference basketball action to learn whether they had earned a berth in the Cricket Wireless SWAC Tournament in Birmingham beginning Wednesday.
The UAPB offense was strong from downtown, pouring in seven 3-pointers on 23 attempts. Walker hit two treys for the Lady Lions in the contest.
UAPB’s defense held Mississippi Valley State to only 32.8% shooting from the field.
UAPB started out the scoring by going on a 7-0 run, culminating in a bucket from Brown, to take an early lead with 5:42 left in the first quarter. The Lady Lions then maintained that lead and entered the quarter break with a 17-10 advantage. UAPB got a great contribution from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for five of the team’s points.
UAPB kept its first-quarter lead intact before going on a 5-0 run starting at the 5:10 mark in the second period, highlighted by a three from Walker, to increase its lead to 24-15. The Devilettes cut into that lead, but the Lady Lions still enjoyed a 30-25 advantage heading into halftime. UAPB was strong from deep during the period, knocking down three 3-point shots to account for nine of its 13 points.
UAPB continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 5-0 run to expand its lead to 40-31 with 3:21 to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Devilettes had cut into that lead somewhat, but the Lady Lions still entered the fourth quarter with a 40-39 edge. UAPB played well near the basket, scoring six of its 10 points in the paint.
Mississippi Valley State proceeded to take a 41-40 lead before UAPB went on a 6-0 run, finished off by Brown’s layup, to seize a 46-41 lead with 7:35 to go in the contest.