JONESBORO, Ark. - Arkansas State continued their mastery of the
University of New Orleans in Jonesboro, Ark. as Sherina Scott made two
free throws with one second left as the Red Wolves escaped defeat with
a 63-61 victory on Sunday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
Scott led ASU (7-7, 1-2 Sun Belt) with 18 points, including 8 of 10 shooting from the charity stripe as the Red Wolves won for the 16th time in 19 meetings at the Convocation Center against the Lady Privateers.
Veronica Smith had 16 points and 12 rebounds while Ebonie Jefferson had 11 points for the host squad.
UNO (7-7, 2-2 SBC) had their two-game road win streak snapped.
Ty Felder had her second career double-double with a 12-point, 11-rebound effort.
Brittany Helm led all scorers with 20 points while
Candice McGee notched a career-high with 14 rebounds.
The game came down to the final sequence, started by a Felder jumper with 27 seconds left in regulation that knotted the score. ASU then had possession of the ball with McGee fouling Scott with one second left following an ASU offensive rebound, allowing Scott the chance to win the game at the charity stripe.
The Red Wolves had come back from a five point deficit at 54-49 after UNO went on a late 7-0 run, started by a Felder jumper. ASU rallied back, scoring 8 of the next 11 points highlighted by a Jefferson three-point play to tie the game for a fourth time at 57.
A fifth tie at 59 would be broken by Jefferson, who made both free throws, setting up Felder's last UNO basket.
UNO struggled out of the gate to start the game, making just one of their first attempts from the field, falling behind by six before consecutive three-point baskets gave the Lady Privateers their first lead at 8-7.
ASU grabbed the advantage at 13-12 before UNO followed with six straight points including back-to-back lay-ups by
Ashley Gorsh to take a five-point lead as the Lady Privateers held the Red Wolves without a field goal for four minutes.
Continued shooting struggles by the Red Wolves allowed the UNO advantage to grow to nine at 25-16 before ASU scored 11 of the half's final 15 points as they cut the deficit down to three, 30-27 at the half.
The Lady Privateers will play the next three at Lakefront Arena starting with a Jan. 7 contest against I-10 foe Louisiana-Lafayette at 7 p.m.
