Freeman Scores Career-High 24 in Lady Braves 73-57 Win Over AAMU

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Junior Alexus Freeman set new career highs with 24 points and 10 field goals made as the Alcorn State University women's basketball program topped Alabama A&M University 73-57 Monday night at T.M. Elmore Gym.

"We are very happy to be back on the winning side of things," said head coach Courtney Pruitt. "[Alexus] is finding a way. She's figuring it out. She has a great mid-range game, and there's nobody on the floor that can stay in front of her. That's something that really helps us – her ability to get to the goal, help us and guide our team. She was the spark when we needed one."

Freeman added eight rebounds and six assists to tally her fourth 15-5-5 contest this season. Junior Tia Sanders accumulated 10 points for her 14^th double-figure scoring performance.

Senior Tori Spann totaled nine points and six boards, and fellow senior Brianna Luton added eight points in addition to a career-high seven rebounds.  Freshman Aysha Kirkland had an efficient outing, chipping in eight points while not missing a shot, converting all three shots from the floor and two free throws.

After the Lady Bulldogs (2-14, 0-7 SWAC) scored the first seven points and built a 12-5 advantage, the Lady Braves (5-14, 5-3 SWAC) stormed back by ending the final 5:57 of the opening stanza on an 11-4 run, lifted by six points from Kirkland, to enter the second in a 16-point deadlock.

Unlike the first, Alcorn scored the first five points of the second after a three from Luton and two Kirkland free throws. AAMU would battle back to 28-26 with 3:33 to go.
A free throw by junior Miracle Rushing then started what would be an 11-1 Lady Braves scoring barrage to end the half. Alcorn forced the Lady Bulldogs to commit two turnovers and miss their final three shots, taking a commanding 37-27 lead at half.

More of the same in the third quarter as the Lady Braves outscored AAMU 21-13 behind six points from Sanders. The Lady Bulldogs put the game back in reach at 39-37 before Alcorn again countered, this time to the tune of 16 straight points over 5:14 to eventually take a comfortable 58-40 advantage into the final frame.

Freeman scored nine of the Lady Braves 15 points in the final quarter as the Lady Braves concluded their impressive outing.

Alcorn's student-athletes shot 46.6 percent from the field, the highest mark this season.

NOTES
- Alcorn knocked down six shots from long distance in the contest. As the top three-point shooting team in the SWAC, the Lady Braves have knocked down five-plus threes in six of eight league games and each of the last five.

- Alcorn held a 22-12 margin in points off of turnovers and 24-10 off the bench.

- Senior Henrietta Wells accumulated multiple blocks for the 14^th time this season.

- The Lady Braves improve to 10-1 under Pruitt when scoring 70-plus points.

- Freshman Jada Hargrove totaled seven points on three field goals made, both career highs for the Riverdale, Georgia, native.

- Sanders drained three treys during her team-high 13^th game this season with multiple three balls.

- The 16-point scoring barrage in the third quarter marked Alcorn's largest of the season.

Listen to "Final Alcorn 73 Alabama A&M 58 Courtney Pruitt Postgame" on Spreaker.

#FearTheBrave