NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers trailed by 16 points early in the fourth quarter. After
Shanihya Brown's layup at the buzzer, the Privateers were just three points short of a monstrous comeback in a 65-62 loss to the Jacksonville State Gamecocks on Saturday at Lakefront Arena.
Brown set a new Privateer career-high with 20 points and battled through foul trouble most of the afternoon. She went 7-of-12 from the field and added three steals and three assists on the day.
The work of freshman,
Mikayla Johnson was also instrumental in the comeback attempt as she had 10 fourth quarter points including a pair of three-pointers in the final minute of regulation. She was also fouled attempting another three with 15 seconds remaining. Johnson scored 16 points, a new career-high.
New Orleans was down 52-36 early in the fourth quarter after Adriana Jones hit a jumper with 9:06 remaining. From there, the Privateers started to inch their way closer on the scoreboard. The Privateers forced six turnovers after that point and got in the bonus early. They attempted 12 free throws in the fourth quarter after having just six attempts in the first three quarters combined.
Johnson's driving layup in the first quarter put the Privateers within one late in the first quarter. That's when Jacksonville State hit their first run, a 7-0 spurt to close out the first 10 minutes of play. The rest of the first half saw the Privateers cut the Gamecocks lead to one possession on two different occasions, but New Orleans found themselves trailing 29-24 at the break.
In what turned out to be the stretch that gave the Gamecocks the cushion they needed on their lead, New Orleans was outscored 19-10 in the third quarter. They were held to just 4-of-17 from the field While Maria Sanchez-Ponce and Mya Barnes took over, combining for 17 points in the quarter.
Barnes notched a new season-high with 22 points. Vitoria Carvalho had 12 points and 13 rebounds. Sanchez-Ponce had nine points and seven rebounds. The Gamecocks narrowly led the rebounding battle 42-40.
INSIDE THE BOX
Lauren Banks added eight points for the Privateers and finished with four rebounds.
Jayla Kimbrough had four points, four rebounds and two blocks.
Aaliyah Ellis co-led the team in assists with three.
NEXT UP
The Privateers will play their first conference game on Wednesday at 1 p.m. against HCU.
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