Alabama State Holds off Lady Tigers

January 21, 2008
MONTGOMERY, AL- With the scored tied at 56 with 1:22 remaining, Alabama State hit three free throws in the final seven seconds to walk away with a 59-56 win over Savannah State in the Reed Acadome.

Shanice Merritt made one free throw and Jasmine Sanford hit two more to give the Hornets the three-point victory.

Savannah State held ASU without a field goal for the final 5:38 but the Hornets hit four of six free throw attempts down the stretch and 14 of 20 in the second half.

Erica Lumpkin had 15 points for the Hornets (6-10) while LaShundrey Townsend added 11.

The contest featured five ties and seven lead changes.

ASU led by five early in the first half but a 14-3 run gave the Hornets a 29-13 advantage with 4:49 on the clock.

Savannah State rallied back scoring 10 unanswered points during a 13-2 stretch that pulled them to within five with 1:26 left before halftime.

ASU finished the half with six straight points and took a 37-26 advantage into the locker room.

Lumpkin and Townsend combined for 26 points in the opening period for the Hornets.

Savannah State trailed by 14 early in the second half but strung together a rally to tie the game at 45 with 10:47 left.

SSU led by as many as three points but could not hold the lead.

ASU led 55-52 but back-to-back jumpers by Savannah State's Patrice Robinson and LaShara Smith gave SSU a 56-55 advantage with 2:27 remaining.

A free throw by Townsend tie the game for Alabama State at 56 with 1:22 left.

Ivy Smith paced SSU (9-10) with a game-high 18 points while Robinson added 13. Ivy Smith also had eight rebounds.

As a team, SSU was out-rebounded 40 to 28.

SSU shot 35 percent from the floor in the second half but held Alabama State to just 4-of-20.