Second Half Push Hurts Alcorn at Wichita State

WICHITA, Kans. – Destiny Brown had 12 points off the bench and Akyriale Ford had 12 in a starting role as Alcorn fell to Wichita State, 67-53 in women's basketball nonconference action taking place inside Charles Koch Arena on Wednesday evening.
 
Alcorn (0-2) fell behind early-on, failing to score for the first five minutes of the game. However, that was quickly turned around when T'Naye Griffin and Destiny Brown got the visiting Braves back into the game on the heels of an 8-4 run towards the latter stages of the opening quarter.
 
Brown would score eight of her team-high matching 12 in the first period.
 
Free throws from Curtessia Dean of Wichita State (1-0) allowed the Shockers to lead it, 15-12 heading into the second quarter.
 
The two teams shot similar percentages from the field in the second stanza with the Shockers at 38.9, while the Braves shot at a 38.5 percent clip.
 
A Cayla Obillo layup in the paint off a turnover allowed Alcorn its first lead of the game at 24-23 with 5:37 remaining in the half.
 
The two teams would trade baskets until Wichita State went on a 9-0 run over the course of the next four minutes, kicked off by Nhug Bosch Duran's three-pointer from the elbow. Ella Anciaux then went to the hole on back-to-back trips with points inside the paint to stretch the Wichita State lead at 34-26.
 
 The hosts would lead it 37-29 at the break following a free throw from Anciaux.
 
In the third quarter, an old-fashioned three-point play from Trajata Colbert gave Wichita State its largest lead of the game at 42-32 just under four minutes into the period. Alcorn's Akyriale Ford and Tyginae White connected on jumpers to bring the Braves to within 42-36.
 
But it would be DJ McCarty stepping to the line and sinking four of her seven free throws in the game down the stretch in the period to help her side to a 50-39 edge heading into the fourth quarter.
 
Despite scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter – Kailyn Watkins had four points in the period, as well as three points apiece from Ford and Wright, the Braves were unable to counter the Shockers' 50 percent shooting touch in the period.
 
McCarty recorded eight of her game-high 17 points off the bench in the fourth quarter in leading her side to a season-opening win.
 
Colbert added 13 points (7-of-7 from the foul line) and six rebounds for the Shockers.
 
Alcorn forced Wichita State into 20 turnovers on the night, as Griffin picked up a pair of steals in the contest.
 
Brown had a team-high matching 12 points on 6-for-11 shooting from the field, as teammate Ford went 5-of-10 from the field for a similar 12 points of her own. Ford was just one rebound shy of a double-double as she collected nine boards. Meanwhile, Wright and Obillo each tallied three assists for the Purple and Gold.
 
Alcorn continues to play on the road when the Braves visit Illinois out of the Big Ten on Sunday, Nov. 13, at 2 p.m.
 
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