Red Wolves women use 14-0 run for tournament upset

NEW ORLEANS — Jada Ford scored 23 points as Arkansas State University defeated Georgia Southern 61-54 in the first round of the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Tournament on Tuesday night at Lakefront Arena.

The No. 11 seed Red Wolves (7-24) will play No. 3 seed Troy at 7: 30 p. m. Wednesday. Troy won both regular-season games against ASU, prevailing 83-75 on Jan. 21 in Jonesboro and 90-77 in Troy on Thursday.

No. 6 seed Georgia Southern, which beat ASU 84-76 in the Red Wolves’ home finale Feb. 25, finished the season 13-17.

Starr Taylor was the only other ASU player to score more than 10 points, finishing with 13.

Angel McGowan led the Eagles with 19 points and Sierra Butler had 11.

Georgia Southern scored just 20 first-half points and trailed by three at halftime, but it increased the scoring pace to start the third quarter. The Eagles made 3 three-pointers and converted a three-point play during the first 5:10 to take a 35-31 lead.

After a Red Wolves timeout, Ford made two steals and scored eight points in a 14-0 run during a two-minute span that gave ASU a 45-35 lead.

Patrice Butler ended the run by making a free throw, and Alexis Sams beat the buzzer with a three-pointer that cut the Red Wolves’ lead to 45-39 after three quarters.

Georgia Southern scored the first five points of the fourth quarter before Ford made a three- pointer and Lauren Bradshaw made two free throws to push the lead to 50-44.

Dominique Oliver made one free throw and Ford made three to increase the lead to six with 1:32 left, and ASU pulled away from there.

SWAC WOMEN

UAPB’s season ends

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women’s basketball team’s season came to an end Tuesday night in a 48-46 loss to Alabama State in the first round of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament at Montgomery, Ala.

UAPB (12-18) was held to 32.2 percent shooting (19 of 59) from the floor and 3 of 11 (27.3 percent) from threepoint range.

Danielle Clark scored 19 points for Alabama State (1415). Ziara Doe had 10 points.