BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Not even Arkansas Pine-Bluff guard Karel Irving’s last second 3-pointer was enough to pull off an upset as No.1 seed Jackson State defeated the No. 8 seed Lady Lions 56-55 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament quarterfinals. Jackson State advances to face the Hornets of Alabama State at 12:30 p.m., in Friday’s semi-final game.
“I thought the game was a rollercoaster, it had it’s ups and downs,” said Arkansas Pine-Bluff head coach Danny Evans. “Building from a lead and then we let it slip away, but we played to the very last second.”
Facing a nine point halftime deficit, Arkansas Pine-Bluff’s senior forward Chekesha Johnson free-throws tied the game at 34 with 15:19 remaining. The Lady Tiger’s sophomore guard Carena Easley answered with a jumper and one free throw to move their lead to 37-35. Jackson’s junior guard Shante Stanford two 3-point shots added to the Jackson State lead of six, 45-39.
The Lady Lions came within a three points on a layup by freshmen guard Arica Green, before fouling Lady Tiger’s senior guard Aisha Scott. Scott’s two free throws with :04 remaining set-up Irving’s desperation three-pointer at the buzzer. Johnson finished with team high 14 points and Green with 11 points.
Stanford has 6-of-7 in 3-pointers with 18 points, Easley contributed 15 points and sophomore forward Shelita Burns had 14 points.
“I was in the zone,” Stanford said. “I was driving and I knew I had to use my strengths (that’s my shooting) to help because Shelita Burns was sick tonight. I believed in myself and knocked down my shots.”
Arkansas Pine-Bluff opened the first half with a nine-point lead, but Jackson State’s Stanford made two 3-pointers moving the score 26-24. With the help of All-SWAC first team Burns, the Lady Tigers went on a 12-0 run while the Lady Lions struggled offensively late in the first half. The Lady Tigers made 17 points off of turnovers going into the half leading 34-25.
