From the start of Saturday’s game, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women’s basketball team failed to solve Alabama A&M’s defense.
UAPB never led in a 72-49 loss to AAMU at H.O. Clemmons Arena as the Lady Lions dropped their fourth straight game
Head coach Erica Leak said AAMU’s size and length gave the UAPB offense problems.
“They switch one through five, and so, we had bigger people on smaller people,” Leak said. “I just think their length really gave us a problem. Also, the wings, the ball screens, they were so long and athletic, they just kind of bothered our wings, our guards.”
UAPB (3-9, 0-2 SWAC) struggled to get shots up against the Lady Bulldogs. The Lady Lions turned the ball over 16 times and attempted 43 shots compared to AAMU’s 54 attempts. When the Lady Lions found chances to shoot, they shot 6 of 13 (46.2 percent) from 3-point range but struggled inside the arc, finishing 10 of 30 (33.3 percent) on 2-point shots.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Lady Lions made nine layups on 22 tries. They also struggled at the free throw line, shooting 11 of 23 to finish below 50 percent for the fourth straight game.
Leak said there will be repercussions for the players in practice after struggling at the line.
“Thursday’s game, the free throw percentage was bad,” Leak said. “Well, we have to play Saturday, so we really couldn’t punish them the way I would like to. Not punish, but really make them aware that this has to be better. We make 12 free throws, and we’re in the game. It’s 61 to 72, so that has to be better moving forward.”
UAPB junior guard Indiya Bowen led the Lady Lions with 11 points, with fellow junior Jailah Pelly and sophomore Jayla Cornelius adding 10 apiece.
AAMU (5-9, 1-1) shot 44.4 percent from the field and made 20 of 22 free throws. UAPB transfer Kaila Walker led with 17 points after shooting 10 of 10 from the line. Senior guard Rakiya Beal scored 16 points, with senior Jaida Belton scoring 13 points with 17 rebounds.
The Lady Bulldogs dominated the boards, outrebounding UAPB 41-23. Leak said UAPB couldn’t overcome Belton’s post presence.
“We were emphasizing block her out, put a body on her, push her out, push her out,” Leak said. “She was somehow still coming up with the basketball. I thought she was over the back a few, but they said she was reaching over top. They were much bigger than us in the paint, and we felt that tonight.”
AAMU opened the game on a 4-0 run before Pelly made a 3-pointer with 7:47 on the clock. UAPB drew fouls but did not make another shot from the floor until the 1:38 mark when senior Kristyna Boyd made a layup.
Boyd made another layup with just under a minute to go in the quarter. Those two layups were the only shots inside the 3-point arc UAPB made in the first half, missing the other seven attempts. AAMU opened the second quarter on an 11-3 run and outscored UAPB 15-6 in the second quarter, leading 34-18 at halftime.
UAPB did better offensively in the third, making 5 of 12 shots, but the Lady Bulldogs shot 60 percent in the period. The fourth quarter was similar as AAMU saw out the game.