MONROE, La. – Arkansas State closed the game with a 20-4 run over the final eight minutes to rally past ULM, 64-50, Friday night at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
ULM (2-7 overall, 0-3 Sun Belt Conference) played some of its best basketball of the season to date in the first 32 minutes, but Arkansas State (8-1 overall, 3-0 SBC) was too much down the stretch, scoring 20 straight points before ULM scored the final four points of the game.
"We played pretty good basketball for 32 minutes tonight," ULM head coach Brooks Donald Williams said. "We executed well on both ends of the floor and controlled the tempo in the first three quarters. Turnovers and fouls hurt us in the fourth."
The Warhawks trailed 9-2 early, but Whitney Goins gave ULM a boost. The senior came off the bench and knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to bring ULM within a point at 14-13. A-State pushed the lead back to four after a quarter, 17-13.
The second quarter belonged to ULM. The Warhawks trailed 20-15 when they embarked on a 7-0 run. Gara Beth Self wrapped up the run with a steal and a layup, followed by a traditional three-point play to give ULM its first lead at 22-20 with 3:18 left in the half.
A-State quickly regained the lead on a 3-pointer by Jireh Washington, but ULM responded again. Linda van Schaik forced an A-State turnover and then found Goins cutting down the lane for a layup and the 24-23 edge. Self buried a 3-pointer from the right corner on the next possession and Brimzy followed with a jumper in the lane to put ULM up 29-23 at halftime.
The Warhawks extended the lead to as much as seven in the third quarter. Kierra Brimzy drained a 3-pointer from the left wing for the 34-27 advantage, while Diamond Brooks converted a layup inside off an assist from Self to go on top 36-29 with 4:32 to play in the quarter.
The game changed moments later. ULM was already without the services of Kyren Whittington, who suffered an injury late in the first half. Self drove the lane but was fouled and fell to the ground and immediately grabbed her knee. She was helped off the court and did not return.
"We hated to see Gara Beth and Kyren go down," Williams said. "Both have battled injuries this entire pre-season and into the season. It was a big blow to not have them available to finish the game. They are both so valuable to our team.
"Gara Beth has fought so hard to get back in the flow of the game after being out so long with her ankle injury and COVID," Williams said. "I just hate that for her. She is a tough kid. I have no doubt she will fight and scrap to be on the floor."
After A-State had pulled as close as three, ULM took the lead back to six at 41-35 on free throws from Gracen Williams and Maddi Gatte. However, the Red Wolves pulled back within two to end the quarter, 42-40.
The Warhawks opened the fourth quarter by resuming a two-possession lead as Williams rainbowed a lob into Brooks in the post for a layup and a 44-40 lead. However, two quick buckets by A-State tied the game at 44. ULM answered with Gatte's jumper on the wing for the 46-44 advantage, but a free throw by Washington and then a trey by the A-State standout gave the Red Wolves their first lead of the second half, 48-46 with 7:20 to play. ULM would not score again until 54 seconds remained in the game.
Brimzy paced ULM with 13 points, while Self and Goins had 11 points each. Washington matched a career-high with 24 points for A-State and Morgan Wallace added 11 points.
ULM shot 50% (20-of-40) from the field but was undone by 25 turnovers. A-State shot 37.8% (17-of-45) from the floor but made 24-of-28 free throws while ULM converted 6-of-10 tries from the charity stripe.
The Warhawks and Red Wolves wrap up the weekend series at 4 p.m. Saturday at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. Links to tickets, video, audio and stats are available on the women's basketball schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com.
