Brown Registers Season-High in Loss at ULM

MONROE, La. – Destiny Brown recorded a game- and season-high 26 points Monday afternoon, as Alcorn Women's Basketball dropped a nonconference contest away to Louisiana-Monroe by a score of 69-65 at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
 
With virtually nothing to separate the two sides, it would prove to be the bench that was the deciding factor on the day. While Alcorn starting center Destiny Brown powered the Braves in scoring, it was the ULM bench that stepped up big for the Warhawks, scoring 35 of the team's 69 points in the contest.
 
Alcorn (4-6) trailed 18-17 after the first quarter.
 
Brown scored the Braves' first five points of the game before guard Nia McCalphia completed an old-fashioned three-point play with a fast break layup and free throw to give Alcorn the 8-6 lead less than three minutes into the game. Kiarra Henderson added four points off the bench in quick succession to put the Braves up 12-8.
 
Myca Trail stuck in a layup followed by a fast break bucket from Bre Sutton to give the hosts a 13-12 advantage with 2:14 remaining in the quarter. Ashanti Backus tied the game for Alcorn at 15-all with a three-pointer. But it would be Olivia Knight's three-pointer with 18 seconds remaining that allowed ULM (4-7) to hold the advantage after the opening quarter.
 
In the second quarter, ULM jumped out to a six-point advantage at 25-19 behind Gara Beth Self's three-pointer from the left side. Alcorn's Akyriale Ford and Zy'Nyia White responded with back-to-back baskets of their own to chip into the lead at 25-23 with 4:53 remaining in the opening half.
 
The Warhawks eventually took a 34-27 lead into the locker room at the break as Emma Merriweather, Jada Anderson and Trail combined to score the final seven points of the half for the hosts.
 
The Warhawks held their first double-digit lead of the game at 41-29 less three minutes into the second half.
 
Katlyn Manuel put back a layup off the glass, and Kierra Brimzy scored off a fast break to give the Warhawks the double-digit edge with 7:10 remaining in the third quarter. ULM increased the lead at 50-37 off Self's jumper just outside the paint.
 
That's where the score stood entering the final quarter of play.
 
In the fourth quarter, Alcorn connected on three shots from long range, adding 9-of-11 shots from the foul line to outscore the Warhawks by a 28-19 advantage.
 
Brown would begin to heat up for the visitors, while teammate White drew the fouls to earn trips to the line in what would become a 14-3 run for the Braves across the first five-and-a-half minutes of the period. After Cayla Obillo converted on one-of-three shots at the charity stripe, Alcorn had cut into the lead, 54-51 with 4:33 showing on the clock.
 
With the Braves looking up at a 56-52 deficit, McCalphia drained a three-pointer off the assist of Brown that pulled the Purple and Gold to within 56-55 with 3:38 remaining in the game. After ULM jumped back out to a four-point advantage moments later, a quick 4-0 run off free throws from Obillo and Brown, respectively, knotted the game for the first time since the opening quarter.
 
The game stood tied at 61-61 with 1:29 remaining.
 
A pair of Trail conversions from the free throw line put the hosts back up two, before Brown's driving layup knotted the game again at 63-all.
 
However, in the end, free throws from Trail and Knight would seal the win for the Warhawks, as the Braves were limited to just one made field goal over the course of the final 1:09 of the game.
 
ULM shot 45.5 percent from three-point range in the game, using a 3-for-5 effort from beyond the arc by Self, as she finished the day with 11 points off the bench. Trail led all scorers for the Warhawks off the bench with 16 points, while it was Manuel and Knight combining for 10 points apiece in the starting role. Manuel also collected nine rebounds and registered two blocks, four assists and a steal.
 
For Alcorn, Brown's season-best 26 points led all scorers in the game. For the Los Angeles, California native, it was her eighth double-digit scoring output of the season, and her second time scoring 20 or more points. Adding 10 rebounds in the loss, she collected her second double-double of the season in the process. McCalphia and White each tallied eight points for the Purple and Gold as well.
 
Alcorn looks to rebound from the loss when the Braves return to the hardwood Wednesday, Dec. 21, as the Purple and Gold travels to UAB for a noon tip-off in Birmingham, Alabama.
 
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