JONESBORO, Ark. – A career-high 21-point performance from Larrie
Williams helped lead the ULM women's basketball team to its third-straight Sun
Belt Conference win Wednesday night when it took down Arkansas State 61-45 on
the road in the ASU Convocation Center. The victory over the Red Wolves is the
first ULM has had in Jonesboro in over 22 years when it won a 67-51 decision on
Jan. 12, 1989. It is also snaps a four-game losing streak to the Red Wolves.
Williams went 10 of 14 from the field and
pulled down five rebounds. Kassie Courtney fell one point shy
of tying her career-high with 17 points after going 6-for-11 from the field
including 5-for-8 from long range. Priscilla Mbiandja also scored in the
double-digits with 11 points while Sannisha Williams had a team-high nine
rebounds. Elizabeth Torres and Mbiandja each also had three steals while Torres
dished out a game-high 10 assists.
After Arkansas State closed the gap to 43-37 at the 7:43
mark, ULM (11-10, 5-3 SBC) went on an 11-6 spree over six minutes to put the
game out of the Red Wolves' reach and take its biggest lead of the game 57-43
with 1:28 remaining. Arkansas State's Sherina Scott scored its last two point
before two free throws by Torres and a Jasmine Shaw layup ended the game with a
61-45 win.
The Warhawks utilized an 11-6 start to the second half to
build upon their six-point halftime lead and take a 39-28 advantage with 15:40
remaining. The Red Wolves made a 9-4 run mid-way through the second half to
come within six points 43-37 with 7:43 left to play.
Despite ULM having one more turnover than Arkansas State,
27-26, the Warhawks outscored them 28-13 for the night off turnovers. They also
held the Red Wolves to just 32.7 percent shooting all evening compared to 45.3
percent by ULM, including just 29.6 percent from the field during the first
half.
Arkansas State (11-11, 4-5 SBC) took a 7-4 advantage over
the first four minutes of the first half before a Larrie Williams layup sparked
a 9-1 spree that held the Red Wolves scoreless for three minutes to give ULM a
13-8 lead at the 12:02 mark. The Red Wolves responded immediately with a 9-4
run to force the first tie of the game 17-17 with 6:29 left before the half.
One more tie followed before back-to-back layups by Larrie Williams and Sannisha Williams quickly gave the Warhawks a 23-19 lead at the 3:30 mark.
ULM held Arkansas State to just one basket to end the first half as it went on
a 9-3 run capped by a Larrie Williams 3-pointer from nearly half-court to grab
a 28-22 advantage at the break.
Arkansas State had two players in the double-figures led by
Shania Hurst who scored 19 points and fell one rebound shy of a double-double
with a team-high nine rebounds. Sherina Scott had 10 points while also grabbing
nine rebounds and Quinishia McDowell had four assists.
ULM will return to Monroe for a single home contest Saturday
when it takes on Troy at 4 p.m. The game is the first of a doubleheader with the
men's basketball team which plays Troy at 6 p.m.
