UAPB loses lead, falls in double OT

MISS. VALLEY STATE 48, UAPB 47 (2OT)

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff blew a fourth-quarter lead and then the game for the second consecutive time Saturday.

Two weeks after losing a 20-16 lead in a 30-27 home loss to Jackson State, the Golden Lions saw a 27-13 fourth-quarter lead evaporate against Mississippi Valley State before falling 48-47 in double overtime at Rice-Totten Stadium in Itta Bena, Miss.

UAPB (1-6, 0-3 SWAC) answered Mississippi Valley’s first overtime score with Taeyler Porter’s 2-yard run and Jamie Gillan’s extra point to force the second overtime, where Porter’s 1-yard run gave the Golden Lions a 4741 advantage. Gillan missed the extra point.

It took the Delta Devils’ Dejerric Bryant two plays to go the 25 yards, the second a 10-yard run, to tie the score. Ruben Piraquive’s extra point gave Mississippi Valley State (1-5, 1-2) the victory.

Porter had a season-high 173 yards rushing and the 2 touchdowns on 37 carries, while quarterback Skyler Perry was 18-of-33 passing for 257 yards and 3 scores as part of 503 yards of total offense for the Golden Lions. It wasn’t enough to offset the Delta Devils’ 509 yards, which included 380 on the ground.

Bryant led the way for Mississippi Valley State with 174 yards and 3 touchdowns on 23 carries. Teammate Booker Chambers had 127 yards on 7 carries (18.1 ypc) and 2 scores, including a 65-yard romp to trim the Delta Devils’ deficit to 27-20.

Mississippi Valley State scored on John Derrick Smith’s 3-yard TD run, and Bryant’s 43-yard burst with 1:31 left in regulation gave the Delta Devils a 34-27 lead.

Perry responded with a 7-yard scoring pass to Dejuan Miller with no time remaining for UAPB. Gillan’s extra point sent the game into overtime, where Chambers went 25 yards on the first play of the session to put the Delta Devils in front.

Porter scored his first overtime touchdown on the Golden Lions’ fourth play of the possession.

After an early Smith touchdown gave the Delta Devils a 7-6 lead, UAPB answered with 20 consecutive points on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Perry to Miller, two Gillan field goals, and a 52-yard interception return by Je’Kevin Carter, the second consecutive game he had a pick-six.

Miller finished with 6 receptions for 92 yards and the 2 touchdowns, while teammate Tyrin Ralph added 7 catches for 91 yards.

A.C. Gilliam led the Golden Lions with 10 tackles, while Carter added eight more.