MONROE, La. -- ULM won its fifth-straight game at home as four different Warhawks scored in double-figures to lead the squad to a 85-83 win over Stephen F. Austin Sunday afternoon inside Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
ULM's (3-3) Jasmine Shaw canned a three-pointer to open the second half scoring and give the Warhawks a 47-43 lead with 19:36 to play in the game.
Like the first half, the second half was a back-and-forth affair that featured four ties and six lead changes. After Alayshia Hunter sank a pair of free throws to give ULM a 59-57 lead with 13:27 to play, the Ladyjacks used a 10-4 run to take a 69-63 lead, their largest of the game, with just under 10 minutes to play.
The Warhawks did not go quietly as they responded with a 14-2 spurt to surge ahead, 77-71 with 3:28 on the clock. Aleesha Coulter sparked the club as she canned a pair of triples during the Warhawks' run.
ULM appeared to put the game away on a Christina Gray free throw with six seconds remaining. Gray hit one of two free throws to put ULM ahead, 85-81.
On the next SFA possession, Tierany Henderson was fouled on her three-point attempt with 1.3 showing on the clock. Henderson made the first two and SFA called a timeout to draw up its final play. Henderson intentionally missed her final attempt and after an offensive rebound the Ladyjacks had a shot at the tie but Henderson's bucket was no good and ULM claimed the two point win.
Ashleigh Simmons paced the Warhawks with 22 points and 11 rebounds for her third-straight double-double. Jasmine Shaw and Alexar Tugler each tallied 16, while Elexar Tugler added 14. Brittney Matthew led the Ladyjacks with 22 points.
The Warhawks opened the game by scoring the first four points of the game on a pair of jumpers by Gray and Shaw. SFA evened the contest less than a minute later as they Ladyjacks were successful back-to-back layups.
After SFA tied the game at 8-8 on a pair of Brittney Matthew free throws, the Warhawks responded with a 16-5 run to take a 24-13 lead with 12:50 to play in the first half. During the ULM spurt, the squad hit four triples, including two by Alexar Tugler.
The Ladyjacks fought back as they used a run of their own (14-3) to even Sunday's tilt at 27-27 with 8:13 to play. Porscha Roberts and Brittney Matthew highlighted the run as they combined for 12 of the 14 points.
The back-and-forth affair continued for the duration of the first half as neither team took more than a five-point lead during the final eight minutes. ULM carried a 44-43 lead into the locker room and it marked the third time this season that the Warhawks have scored 40 or more points in the opening half (Louisiana College, Southeastern Louisiana).
A total of four players scored in double figures in the first 20 minutes. ULM's Alexar Tugler and Shaw each scored 11, while SFA's Brittney Matthew had 15 and Porscha Roberts scored 10.
ULM will return to action Wednesday night when they travel to Lake Charles, La. for a non-conference tilt against McNeese State. It will be the second straight contest for the Warhawks against a Southland Conference school and fourth of the season.
