MONROE, La. – The ULM women's basketball team attempted to battle
back from a 10-point deficit late in the second half but fell just short in a
55-52 loss to Sun Belt Conference West Division leader UALR Sunday evening in
Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
After UALR grabbed its biggest lead of the game 51-41 with
under three minutes to play, the Warhawks held the Trojans to just four final
points after going on an 11-point run featuring six points by Priscilla
Mbiandja. ULM capped the streak with two free throws by Kassie Courtney and
Mbiandja each to trail by two 54-52 with 22 seconds to play. However, UALR's
Shanika Butler sank a free throw during the final seconds to end the game with
a 55-52 victory.
Mbiandja was one of three Warhawks to score double-digits as
she collected a team-high 16 points. Courtney and Larrie Williams each had 14
points for the night while Williams and Mbiandja each grabbed a team-high seven
rebounds. Marion Zollicoffer had a team-high two assists. As a team, ULM shot
34.7 percent from the field.
Asriel Rolfe sank a layup for the Trojans to begin the
second half before ULM (13-13, 7-6 SBC) started to chip away at the lead with
an 8-2 run that held UALR scoreless for nearly five minutes. UALR answered with
a 7-2 streak to push its lead out to 42-36 before ULM came back with baskets by
Williams and Courtney to make the score 43-41 at the 7:38 mark.
The Trojans distanced themselves from the Warhawks with an
unanswered eight points over two minutes to take their biggest lead of the game
51-41 with 2:45 to play.
UALR (17-5, 11-0 SBC) grabbed a narrow 5-4 lead to start the
first half before it broke out with a 10-1 streak to grab a 15-5 advantage at
the 14:42 mark. ULM responded with two free throws by Williams and a Mbiandja
jumper to spark an 11-4 streak to come within three points 19-16 with 6:25
remaining in the half.
A 3-pointer by Courtney closed the gap to 23-21 at the 4:10
mark for ULM's smallest deficit of the half. The Trojans used a 7-5 run to end
the first half leading 30-26.
Chastity Reed led the Trojans in scoring with a game-high 18
points while Marian Kursh and Rolfe each had 12 points. Hannah Fohne pulled
down eight rebounds while Butler dished out four assists. As a team, UALR shot
34.7 percent from the field and outrebounded ULM 37-32.
ULM will play its
final two road games of the season when it takes on Denver Wednesday at 8 p.m.
before travelling to Denton, Texas to play North Texas Saturday at 5 p.m.
