NEW ORLEANS - Arkansas State's Ebonie Jefferson was held to zero points in the first half and ended up with the go-ahead basket with 48 seconds remaining to provide the push needed to defeat the University of New Orleans 47-41 on Wednesday night at Lakefront Arena.
ASU (13-12, 7-8 Sun Belt) was led by Jefferson, who scored nine points. Shania Hurst and Veronica Smith each had eight points apiece. Sherina Scott had a team-high eight rebounds.
Jada Frazier scored 15 points for UNO (12-15, 7-9 SBC) who fell for the third straight game. Frazier will enter Sunday's contest just one point shy of 1,000 for her career.
Ashley Gorsh had a career-high 10 points while
Ty Felder led the squad with 10 rebounds.
While Jefferson nailed the important baskets, it was Caroline Starr who drained critical three-pointers late in the second half to come to the Red Wolves aid each time the Lady Privateers threatened.
ASU took their first lead since the 14:38 mark in the first half when they took a 29-28 advantage on an Ebonie Jefferson lay-up with 13:55 remaining in the contest. The lead would eventually grow to six points, 36-30 on a Starr three-pointer with 8:03 left.
After UNO pulled within two, another Starr three-pointer with 4:36 left extended the lead to five, 39-34. Two Veronica Smith free throws later, the Red Wolves were on top by seven with 3:42 remaining.
Frazier and
Ashley Gorsh would each make jumpers to cut the lead to three with 2:21 left. A Frazier three-point play with 1:13 tied it up at 41 apiece. A Jefferson lay-up put the Red Wolves in the drivers' seat and a free throw a possession later with 19.1 seconds left
The Lady Privateers went into the half with a 22-19 lead, though it was not in part due to their shooting.
UNO opened the game 3 of 20 from the field and finished the half 7 of 31 for a 22.6 percent clip. After the 3 of 20 opening, the team got some separation in the scoring, putting eight straight points on the board. Felder and Frazier connected on back-to-back three pointers as the team took a 15-7 lead. Two
Rachele Monroe free throws extended the lead to 10 and rounded out the run.
The Red Wolves rallied back, getting within one point at 17-16 after scoring nine consecutive points of their own before a Frazier three-pointer brought to an end the run.
Next on the floor for the Lady Privateers is a televised contest Sunday at 5 p.m. on the road against Louisiana-Lafayette. The game will be available on Cox Sports Television and Comcast Sports Southeast.
