Box Score
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Grambling couldn’t match the pace of theAlcorn Braves in the semifinals game as the Tigers fell to Alcorn 59-50 toadvance to the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game.
“Our key people looked like that they were sort ofstruggling, like they didn’t have the energy,” said Alcorn’s head coach ShirleyWalker. “At half time I told themthey had to pick it up if they really wanted to play like championships.”
Alcorn held the lead after a 37-37 tie at 9:10 in the secondhalf and kept an 11 point lead. With only 1:44 remaining a series of free throws by Alcorn won thegame.
“We haven’t been a very good free throw shooting team, wehaven’t put a lot of emphasis on free throws,” said Walker.
Alcorn’s Shikhia Sims made 8-8 free throws that gave her11points for the game. Alcorn made80-percent of their free throw shots.
A free throw by Grambling’s Dominique Headd tied the firsthalf at 27-27 with 47 seconds left and a layup by Alcorn’s Tasha Wilmore movedthe half time score to 29-27.
Grambling’s Dominique Headd had 19 points and Juleen Smithhad 17 points.
“When you come out and play a good coach and a well preparedteam like that, and you don’t execute and finish all your shots, you not goingwin,” said Grambling’s coach David Ponton.
Alcorn’s senior guard LaToya Johnson scored her 1,000thpoint of her career and a totaled 18 points for the game.
“My teammates encouraged me to continue to work, thatencouragement helped me a lot,” said Johnson. “I knew in the end I had to pick up my game because in orderfor us to win everybody had to give what they have.”
Alcorn will play Southern Saturday, March 12 at 5 p.m. inthe SWAC Women’s Championship game; it will be televised on ESPNU.
“It will be a total different ball game. It’s going be tough, they’re a very wellcoached team,” said Walker. “We haveto play against Rolanda Monroe and the Lady Jags. When you say Southern University you say Monroe, but I feelit’s going to be up to my players to reevaluate themselves on how to match upto Southern.”
Southern’s women basketball team is playing in their thirdSWAC championship game in five years under coach Sandy Pugh.
Walker in her 27 years at Alcorn has played in thechampionship game 11 times.
