A barrage of deep shots powered the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women’s basketball team to a second-half comeback Saturday.
UAPB rallied to defeat Florida A&M 63-53 at H.O. Clemmons Arena to finish its first two-game weekend sweep of SWAC play.
UAPB (6-10, 3-3 SWAC) made 10 of 22 from three-point range, shattering its previous season-high of six made triples. Junior guards Jailah Pelly and Jasmine Davis each made more than they had in a game all year.
UAPB Coach Erica Leak said confidence and practice led to this shooting performance.
We see (Davis) make it all the time, but sometimes when she’s in the game and she tries to create, then she will turn it over, but guess what? She had no turnovers tonight, because she was the aggressor,” Leak said. “She was getting to her spots and making open threes. Pelly, she just felt it tonight. She had her confidence on 10 (out of 10), and she just really was in her groove.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Pelly made 6 of 8 from deep. She entered the game averaging one made three per game and hadn’t made more than three. Her game-leading 23 points tied her season best from the season opener at Memphis.
Davis made 4 of 9 from deep and finished with 16 points. Junior forward Khaniah Gardner didn’t attempt a three but finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
Pelly and Florida A&M junior guard Shaniyah McCarthy traded three-pointers to open the game. Pelly said making two in the first 2:25 of the game gave her the confidence to keep shooting.
“When you work after hours, it just come naturally,” Pelly said.
FAMU (4-12, 3-2)cled 31-22 at halftime and never trailed in the first half. UAPB struggled to solve the Lady Rattlers’ defense and shot just 8 of 26 (30.8 percent) from the floor. Pelly made three three-pointers in that half with Davis adding one, but UAPB struggled to score otherwise. The Rattlers matched UAPB’s four first half three-pointers while shooting a much better 46.4 percent overall.
The game flipped in the second half. FAMU scored first, but UAPB responded with an 18-4 run. Pelly tied the game at 37 before Davis made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:13 remaining in the third quarter.
The Lady Lions led the rest of the game. FAMU junior guard Tahnyjia Purifoy scored in the dying seconds of the third to cut UAPB’s lead to 46-45, but the Lady Lions opened the fourth on a 5-0 run.
UAPB led by as much as 63-51 with 3:03 remaining after a deep jumper by Gardner. FAMU senior guard Camille Jackson made two free throws seconds later, but neither team scored in the final 3 minutes. Jackson and McCarthy each finished with 12 points to lead FAMU.
The Lady Lions held FAMU to eight points in the fourth quarter, which Leak said came from changing defenses from zone to man-to-man to counter what the Lady Rattlers like to do offensively.
“We were able to get some steals out of that, just because (of) catching them blindsided, because they thought we were in a man,” Leak said. “So, just making the small adjustments like that to keep them off their – we want to keep them out of their rhythm and keep them on their toes. I thought the girls bought into that, and they were able to make the adjustment.”
This win came two days after UAPB pulled away from Bethune-Cookman in the second half for a 77-54 win and completed the first 2-0 weekend of conference play so far for UAPB. The Lady Lions have now won three of their past four games after starting 0-2.