Haynes Lifts Lady Braves with Career-High 38 in Overtime Thriller

Norianna Haynes recorded a double-double scoring a career-high 38 points and 14 rebounds to help the Lady Braves pick up a key win over Alabama State in overtime 77-72.

Olivia Brown started the charge scoring the first basket of the game and with just over a minute in the game the Lady Braves were ahead 6-0.  Alabama State's Britney Wright tied the game four minutes later at 10-10 apiece on a pair of made free throws.

Both teams were deadlocked in the first half but it was the Lady Hornets who went into the locker room with a 35-30 lead.

Wright extended the Lady Hornets lead to 37-30 at the beginning of the second half with a jumper.

At the 11:18 mark of the second half, Alabama State's Tabitha Bradshaw nailed a three-pointer to give the Lady Hornets their largest lead of the game 50-41 but it was the Norianna Haynes show from there.

Haynes scored 10 of the next 12 points to give the Lady Braves their first lead of the half 55-54.  The Lady Braves had put together a 14-4 run.

Bradshaw made a pair of free throws to retake the lead for the Lady Hornets 60-58.  But Haynes fired right back from downtown to put the Lady Braves back ahead 61-60 with 1:50 to play.

About .15 seconds later, Alabama State's Britney Wright grabbed an offensive rebound and connected on a three-point play to regain the lead for the Lady Hornets, 63-61.

Seconds later Haynes hit a pair of free throws to tie the game and Jazmin Strane made one of two free throws to give the Lady Braves a one-point advantage, 64-63.  Haynes was fouled again and connected on a couple of free throws with .02 seconds to play.

But Alabama State's Bradshaw hit a three-pointer from half court at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

In the overtime period it was all about the Lady Braves.  Shaqueria Dubose, who hadn't seen any action the entire game, came in and gave the Lady Braves some good minutes in overtime.  She scored four points while Haynes scored five points (all from the charity stripe) to put the Lady Braves over the hump.

Angelica Wilson-Reid scored 12 points and recorded nine rebounds while Strane posted another double-digit rebound game with 11 on the night.

The Lady Braves face Alabama A&M in their home finale on Monday night.  Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.