Jackson State was dominant at Bartow Arena on Friday evening, handing Arkansas-Pine Bluff a 70-48 loss in a battle between two of the conference’s top teams. The Lady Tigers started by building up an 18-point halftime lead, and sealed the game by outscoring the Lady Lions 32-28 over the final 20 minutes. The win puts Jackson State back in the SWAC Championship game after being upset by Southern University last year in the semifinals.
Andriana Avent scored 19 points to lead the way for Jackson State. Avent was dangerous from three-point land, connecting on 4-of-12 attempts. Despite Avent’s performance, the team collectively struggled shooting the ball. They shot 34% from the field while scoring just 0.97 points per possession. Their shooting woes were alleviated by a relentless pursuit on the boards. Their 20 offensive rebounds led to 16 big second chance points.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff was led by Kaila Walker, who scored 19 points while collecting six boards. Collectively, the Lady Lions were inefficient on offense. They converted on just 24% of field goal attempts and 30% of three-point attempts. They were heavily challenged on field goal attempts in the paint, scoring just 17% of their total points on those shot attempts near the hoop.
- JSU’s bench outscored UAPB’s bench 24 to 6
- UAPB’s 24% field goal percentage marked a season-low
- There were zero lead changes or ties, with the Lady Tigers leading the entire game
The Lady Tigers’ next matchup is on March 16 against Alcorn State at Bartow Arena for the SWAC Championship. UAPB’s loss is a tough result given the momentum it was riding after beating Alabama A&M recently. The Lady Lions will have to look forward to next season for another opportunity at a SWAC title.
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