Aja Wheeler
52
UAPB (W) UAPB 2-8, 1-3 (SWAC)
72
Winner Alcorn State (W) ALCORN 3-5, 3-1 (SWAC)
UAPB (W) UAPB
2-8, 1-3 (SWAC)
52
Final
72
Alcorn State (W) ALCORN
3-5, 3-1 (SWAC)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
UAPB (W) UAPB 7 10 16 19 52
Alcorn State (W) ALCORN 21 17 17 17 72

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Lady Braves Roll to 20-Point Win Over UAPB; Off to Best SWAC Start Since 2006-07

LORMAN, Miss. – The Alcorn State University women's basketball team came out ready from the start against Arkansas-Pine Bluff using a 21-point first quarter to take control on their way to claiming the 72-52 Southwestern Athletic Conference victory on Martin Luther King Jr. Day inside Davey L. Whitney Complex.

The win for Alcorn (4-5, 4-1 SWAC) moves the Lady Braves to a 4-1 start in conference play, their best start in SWAC play since the 2006-07 season. Aja Wheeler led tying for a game-high 19 points to pace the Lady Braves. She also added three rebounds, three steals and an assist, going 8-9 from the field. Kirdis Clark had a solid all-around game with 12 points, seven steals and six rebounds. Cayla Obillo added nine points and five assists, while Deja Mitchell added eight points.

Defensive pressure once again set the tone for the Lady Braves as they forced 32 turnovers which turned into a 35-13 points off turnovers advantage. Alcorn also held a big advantage in bench points (32-14), points in the paint (40-22) and fastbreak points (10-2).

Alcorn shot over 50 percent in both the third and fourth quarters and finished the game making 32-71 from the field (45.1), 4-23 (17.4) from three and 4-6 (66.7) from the foul line.

Obillo and Mitchell got the scoring going for Alcorn over the first two minutes as each connected on baskets to jump the lead to 4-0. A Mitchell jumper and then a three-pointer by Obillo had the lead out to 9-1 near the midway point of the first quarter.

Holding a 9-3 lead, Wheeler would ignite a 9-0 run with a layup. Clark added a three-pointer and Wheeler then hit back-to-back baskets to leave Alcorn holding a 18-3 lead. UAPB (2-9, 1-4 SWAC) trimmed one point off the deficit before the quarter ended leaving the Lady Braves with a 21-7 lead through the first 10 minutes.

 Alcorn started to pull away even more later in the first half with LaRae Rascoe hitting a jumper and another jumper from Wheeler had the Lady Braves out to a 36-16 lead. Alcorn would add one more point to the lead at halftime holding a 38-17 advantage.

The second half would be close with UAPB holding a slight 35-34 advantage, but it wouldn't be enough to overcome the big first half by the Lady Braves with Alcorn rolling to the 72-52 victory.

Khadijah Brown led the Lady Lions with 19 points and 16 rebounds. Jazzeem Bethea added nine points. UAPB went 17-45 from the field (17-45), 3-9 (33.3) from three and 15-26 (57.7) from the foul line.

The Lady Braves will hit the road this coming week as they will play at Alabama State on Saturday beginning at 3 p.m. They will finish the road trip on Monday at Alabama A&M beginning at 5:30 p.m.
 
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