An ice-cold start offensively doomed the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women’s basketball team in its final non-conference road game.
Tulsa defeated UAPB 67-43 on Thursday at the Reynolds Center in Tulsa, Okla..
UAPB (3-7) missed its first four shots and didn’t score until junior guard Jailah Pelly hit a layup with 5:08 to go in the first quarter. The Lady Lions then missed their next four shots and finished the first quarter having made just 3 of 13.
The second quarter wasn’t much better, with UAPB making 4 of 13 from the field. The Lady Lions finished the game shooting 31.4 percent and making 2 of 15 from 3-point range. UAPB also made just 9 of its 19 free throws. The 43 points the Lady Lions scored were their second-fewest this season, only beating the 41 they scored in a loss at South Dakota last month.
Tulsa (7-4) also started cold, shooting 3 of 11 in the first quarter and not making its first field goal until the possession after Pelly made UAPB’s first. The Golden Hurricane, however, warmed up after the first and outscored the Lady Lions 24-9 in the second quarter to lead 34-16 at halftime. Tulsa went on to lead by as much as 63-30.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
UAPB went on a 13-0 run in the fourth quarter to cut into the deficit before Tulsa scored the final 4 points, including a buzzer-beating layup to reach 67 points to delight the crowd of elementary school students in attendance.
Tulsa shot 42.1 percent and made 6 of 20 from 3-point range. Junior guard Jade Clack led the Golden Hurricane with 16 points, followed by junior guard Mady Cartwright with 14.
UAPB junior forward Khaniah Gardner scored a season-high 11 points, tying Pelly for the team lead.
One bright spot for UAPB was Kristyna Boyd’s return. The senior guard hadn’t played this season due to injury but played 7 minutes off the bench Thursday. She did not attempt a shot but collected two steals.