Alcorn State women’s basketball locked up the No. 2 seed in the upcoming SWAC Tournament on Tuesday night with a 67-56 win over Mississippi Valley State at the Davey L. Whitney Complex.
The Braves (17-11, 14-3 SWAC) controlled the game early and held off a second-half push from the Delta Devilettes to secure their 10th home victory of the season.
Alcorn also benefited from a Southern loss at Alabama State earlier in the evening, officially clinching the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.
Mississippi Valley State fell to 6-22 overall and 5-12 in SWAC play.
Nakia Cheatham Leads the Braves
Senior forward Nakia Cheatham delivered another strong performance for Alcorn State, finishing with a game-high 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Cheatham shot 7-of-13 from the field and added four assists and three steals. The double-double was her eighth of the season and marked the 21st time this year she has scored in double figures.
Maya Hunkin-Claytor also played a key role in the victory. She knocked down four three-pointers and finished with 12 points while shooting 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Her performance moved her within four three-pointers of tying the school’s single-season record.
Kiarra Henderson added 11 points and four assists while shooting 4-of-5 from the field.
Alcorn Builds Early Lead
The Braves set the tone early, jumping out to a 20-10 lead in the first quarter and forcing Mississippi Valley State to play from behind for the remainder of the night.
Alcorn extended the advantage in the second quarter, outscoring the Delta Devilettes 19-15 to take a 39-25 lead into halftime. A late three-pointer from Hunkin-Claytor helped stretch the margin to 14 points before the break.
The Braves were efficient offensively in the first half, shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 6-of-10 from three-point range.
Mississippi Valley State Makes a Push
Mississippi Valley State showed signs of life in the third quarter, outscoring Alcorn 18-8 to trim the deficit to single digits.
The Delta Devilettes were led by Ariel Jefferson, who recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Jaeda Murphy and Kylah McCullers added nine points each.
However, Valley struggled with turnovers throughout the game, committing 26 miscues that led to 22 Alcorn points.
Braves Close Strong
Alcorn regained control in the fourth quarter, outscoring Mississippi Valley State 20-13 to secure the 11-point victory.
The Braves shot 53.8 percent in the final period and finished the night shooting 43.6 percent overall. They also dominated in transition, scoring 25 fast-break points compared to 13 for Mississippi Valley State.
Alcorn held a 30-26 edge in points in the paint and posted a 50 percent effective field goal percentage, compared to just 33 percent for the Delta Devilettes.
What’s Next
With the No. 2 seed secured, Alcorn State will close the regular season Thursday night against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
The game will serve as Senior Appreciation Night at the Davey L. Whitney Complex, as the Braves honor Ja’Sharreah Hunt and Arene Iyekekpolor.
Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.