UALR wins in WNIT

UALR’s women’s basketball team was winless in the WNIT in four opportunities, but the Trojans ended that drought Wednesday. Kaitlyn Pratt scored 18 points as the Trojans defeated Southern Mississippi 72-62 in the first round of the WNIT at Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg, Miss.

UALR’s women’s basketball team was winless in the WNIT in four opportunities before Wednesday.

After Wednesday, the Trojans are headed to the tournament’s second round for the first time.

Kaitlyn Pratt finished with 18 points and 8 rebounds as the Trojans defeated Southern Mississippi 72-62 in the first round of the WNIT at Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg, Miss.

It was the first WNIT victory for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (258). The Trojans will play Alabama or Mercer in the second round Saturday, Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. The WNIT will announce the game date and time at a later date. Alabama hosts Mercer today in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Kira Shepard had 14 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds for UALR. Anna Hurlburt scored 13 points off the bench. Monique Townson finished with 11 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds. Sharde Collins added 10 points.

UALR shot 53.6 percent (30 of 56) from the field. Southern Miss (23-11) was held to 39.1 percent shooting (25 of 64).

Brittany Dinkins led the Golden Eagles with 19 points. Keri Jewett-Giles had 16 points while Megan Brown added 13 points.

The Trojans trailed 52-48 after three quarters, but used a 24-10 fourth quarter to defeat the Golden Eagles.

UALR tied the game with 6:34 remaining on Hurlburt’s jumper and took a 56-54 lead on Shepard’s jumper with 5:55 left. The Trojans extended their lead to 63-57 with 3:10 to play on Shepard’s three-pointer. Collins’ jumper and Ronjanae DeGray’s layup made it 67-57 with 1:22 left.

The Trojans, who trailed 17-14 after the first quarter, took a 33-32 lead with 31 seconds remaining in the second quarter on Pratt’s two free throws.

But Southern Miss responded with Dinkins’ three-pointer that made it 35-33 with nine seconds to play in the first half.

Shepard hit a three-pointer to give UALR a 42-41 lead with 6:06 to play in the third quarter. Southern Miss regained the lead, 43-42, with 5:49 left in the third quarter on Jewett-Giles’ jumper.

UALR won the Sun Belt Conference regular-season championship. The Trojans entered the Sun Belt Tournament with five consecutive victories and defeated Appalachian State in a quarterfinal game March 9 in New Orleans. But UALR lost to Louisiana-Lafayette in the semifinals last Saturday.

Southern Miss reached the Conference USA Tournament