ATLANTA, GA – The No. 6 seed Alcorn State women's basketball team pulled off a thrilling upset in the SWAC Tournament quarterfinals, taking down No. 3 seed Alabama A&M 56-53 on Thursday morning at the Gateway Center Arena. The Lady Braves (13-17, 10-8 SWAC) delivered a resilient performance, using a dominant fourth quarter to outlast the Bulldogs (21-10, 14-4 SWAC) and punch their ticket to the semifinals.
Destiny Brown was a force inside, recording a double-double with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks.
Jeanee Anderson provided a crucial spark with nine points, including a game-sealing jumper in the final seconds. Sharmayne Finley added seven points and three rebounds, while Nakia Cheathman contributed four points and a team-high eight rebounds. The Lady Braves controlled the boards, outrebounding Alabama A&M 40-29 and limiting second-chance opportunities.
Alcorn State led for most of the game, jumping out to an early advantage in the first quarter. After Alabama A&M stormed back in the third to take a slim lead, the Lady Braves responded in the final period, outscoring the Bulldogs 21-14 down the stretch. Clutch free throws and a strong defensive stand in the final moments helped Alcorn secure the upset victory.
GAME RECAP
First Quarter – Alcorn 16, Alabama A&M 9
- The Lady Braves got off to a hot start, shooting 41.2% in the opening period.
- Anderson knocked down two early three-pointers to help Alcorn build a quick lead.
- Brown asserted her presence inside, scoring six points and grabbing four rebounds.
Second Quarter – Alcorn 23, Alabama A&M 19
- Both teams tightened up defensively, leading to a low-scoring quarter.
- Alcorn struggled from the field (25%) but held Alabama A&M to just 27.3% shooting.
- The Lady Braves took a four-point lead into halftime after a late free throw by Cheathman.
Third Quarter – Alabama A&M 39, Alcorn 35
- The Bulldogs came out strong after halftime, outscoring Alcorn 20-12 in the period.
- Alabama A&M's Lauryn Pendleton caught fire, scoring eight points in the quarter.
- Alcorn kept the game close, with Brown converting key free throws late in the period.
Fourth Quarter – Alcorn 56, Alabama A&M 53
- The Lady Braves responded with a dominant fourth-quarter effort, reclaiming the lead early.
- Brown took over inside, scoring eight points and grabbing three rebounds in the final 10 minutes.
- Anderson nailed a clutch jumper with 22 seconds left to extend Alcorn's lead to three.
- Alabama A&M missed a potential game-tying three-pointer in the closing seconds, sealing the upset win for the Lady Braves.
BY THE NUMBERS
- 20 & 13 – Destiny Brown recorded a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
- 9 – Jeanee Anderson came up big with nine points, including the game-winning jumper.
- 40-29 – Alcorn dominated the rebounding battle, securing 40 boards to Alabama A&M's 29.
- 21 – The Lady Braves outscored Alabama A&M 21-14 in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback.
- 3 – Alcorn held Alabama A&M to just one made three-pointer (1-for-14) on the day.
UP NEXT
The Lady Braves (13-17, 10-8 SWAC) advance to the SWAC Basketball Tournament semifinals and will face No. 2 seed Texas Southern on Friday, March 14, at 11 a.m. CST at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta, GA. Fans can follow the action live via ESPN+.
