Meridian native Kiara Ruffin scored 24 points to lead all scorers as the Alcorn State Lady Braves avenged an earlier loss to Jackson State by beating them 66-54 Saturday in a packed house at the Davey Whitney Athletic Complex.
The win pushed ASU’s SWAC record up to 6-4 and their overall record to 7-12. The Lady Tigers fell to 4-6 in the SWAC and 5-14 overall.
The Lady Braves enjoyed a 35-26 halftime lead and never trailed after that.
Ruffin had 12 first half points to lead the charge and forward Renelle Richmond scored nine in the first 20 minutes.
The Lady Braves were content to trade baskets with JSU the last half, but neither team could convert on offensive rebounds. ASU only made seven of 25 attempted field goals in the last half and JSU 10 of 25. ASU had 13 offensive rebounds to JSU’s 10, and the Lady Braves made 20 of 29 from the foul line, which was the game difference. JSU was 10 for 18 from the foul line. ASU’s last nine points, starting at the 1:25 mark, came from the foul line. Ruffin scored six in a row during that last minute of play and Richmond was 3 for 4.
The Lady Braves had three players in double figures scoring as besides Ruffin’s 24, Carolinsia Crumbly chipped in17 and Richmond ended up with 13. Ruffin was 10 for 10 from the free throw line.
Ayanna Hardy-Fuller was their only JSU player in double figures as she scored 10.
Tiffany Kellum was second on the JSU team with nine.
The Lady Braves will host Grambling State Monday at 5:30 in the Davey Whitney Athletic Complex in another SWAC encounter. The Lady Braves won in January in Grambling, Louisiana.
