Lady Panthers Fight Back To Defeat MVSU, Sweeps Road Trip

GREENWOOD, Mississippi – Playing in a hostile environment, the Prairie View A&M women's basketball team battled back from a nine-point second half deficit with clutch free throw shooting for a 73-70 win over Mississippi Valley State Monday night in the LeFlore County Civic Center.

Needing only six points to score her 1,000th career point, junior guard Jeanette Jackson wasted no time in doing so as her second trey of the game at the 14:56 mark gave PVAMU a four-point lead and the record in only her third year as a Lady Panther.

With the feat behind her, the Lady Panthers got back to business as treys by Jackson and LaReahn Washington upped their lead to 19-13 with 8:12 remaining. The PVAMU defense continued to come through from that point as they forced two more MVSU turnovers that led to a 21-13 lead on Washington's layup a minute later.

MVSU scored the next four points on an Ashley Beals' free throw and Olivia Kennedy's trey to close its gap to 21-17 at the 5:50 mark. However, Washington countered with another three-pointer followed by a free throw from Alexus Parker to lead 25-17.

MVSU's Joncyee Sanders answered with a jumper for a six-point PVAMU lead but the Lady Panthers kept charging as Parker hit another free throw along with a Shaneece Stephens' basket to lead 28-19 with 4:45 left in the first half.

Despite the solid start, the Lady Panthers lost momentum after their run as MVSU closed out the first half on a 10-3 run for a 31-29 PVAMU halftime lead.

MVSU's Danielle Clark opened the second half with a three-point play for a 32-31 lead. Two free throws by Parker gave PVAMU the lead for a brief second until a Joncyee Sanders' basket gave MVSU a 34-33 advantage. Prairie View A&M struggled from the field as the half began as they were 0-for-6 until Gabrielle Scott's basket for a 35-34 PVAMU advantage.

MVSU reclaimed the lead on the ensuing possession until a free throw by Jackson knotted the contest at 36-all with 16:27 remaining. PVAMU continued its cold streak as they would hit only one field goal over the next six minutes while MVSU heated up and put together an 11-4 run to claim a 51-42 advantage with 10:55 remaining after a three-pointer from Joncyee Sanders.

PVAMU fought back with a 10-4 run to claw back within 55-52 with 7:53 left. From that point, the Lady Panthers put on a free throw shooting clinic to chip away at the lead as Shamiaya Brooks and Parker hit four straight to draw within 58-56 at the 6:26 mark. A MVSU trey upped the margin to 61-56 but Parker put the team on her back with back-to-back treys to reclaim a 62-61 margin.

MVSU countered with a pair of baskets to move ahead 65-62 but Gabrielle Scott closed the margin to 65-64 on a layup. A MVSU free throw upped the score to 66-64 but Scott once again was money from the charity stripe with a pair of baskets to knot the game at 66-all with 2:45 left.

The PVAMU defense forced another turnover and a Devilette foul led to two free throws from Washington and a 68-66 lead. On the ensuing possession, MVSU was harassed by the PVAMU defense at halfcourt and the ball landed in the hands of Gabrielle Scott, who pushed it up the court and was fouled for a three-point play the old-fashioned way.

Scott's basket gave PVAMU a 71-66 lead but the lead was cut to 71-69 12 seconds later on a Kennedy trey.

The contest got sloppy over the final 1:58 as both teams combined for three turnovers and four missed shot attempts. With 10 seconds left, MVSU's Joncyee Sanders was fouled and had a chance to tie the game but hit only 1-of-2 baskets for a 71-70 margin.

MVSU opted to foul Brooks with eight seconds left and the Georgia native made them pay as she hit both free throws for the final margin as MVSU's three-point attempt fell short at the buzzer.

PVAMU once again received a balanced scoring effort as Jackson led the way with 19 points and four steals. Parker followed with 18 points while Washington chipped in with 12. Both Brooks and Gabrielle Scott added 11 points apiece.

The Lady Panthers return home this Saturday for a match-up versus Alabama A&M at 3 p.m. in the Baby Dome. The team will honor its two seniors in LaReahn Washington and Tonisha Lacey on Saturday.

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