Contact: Houston Taylor
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas let an eight-point second half lead slip away and Arkansas-Monticello hit 6 of 6 free throws in the final 40 seconds to steal a 73-68 win Monday in Great American Conference play at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.
The Lady Muleriders (1-15, 1-5 GAC) dropped their second straight game, while the Cotton Blossoms (5-11, 1-5 GAC) snapped a seven-game losing skid in picking up their first league victory.
SAU held a 52-44 advantage at 10:14 in the second half, but UAM crept back to within a point three times over the next four minutes. Southern Arkansas seemed to take control with senior center Kmaria Hobb’s (Clarksville, Texas) lay-up at 3:48 for a 65-60 lead. Arkansas-Monticello battled back though, knotting it at 67-67 at 1:54 on senior guard Chelsea Johnson’s three-pointer. Junior guard Candace Virgadamo then hit the first two of the Cotton Blossom’s six freebies down the stretch to put the game away. The Lady Muleriders got off only two shots, missing both, during that span, with Hobbs connecting on one of two free throws.
The loss spoiled a game effort from SAU senior center Shenelda Levingston (El Dorado), who had game-highs of 23 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with 2:34 left. Hobbs finished with 17 points and seven boards.
Senior guard Alex Hart played all 40 minutes in leading UAM with 21 points, hitting 10 of 14 free throws, and grabbing five rebounds. Virgadamo scored 16 points, and Johnson finished with 12.
The game was tight throughout, with seven ties and five lead changes, and Southern Arkansas’ eight-point margin the largest of the game.
Freshman forward Ashley Riggles’ (Fayetteville) three-pointer gave the Lady Muleriders an 11-4 lead at 16:49 in the first half. Virgadamo’s lay-up tied it at 15-15 at 13:31, and Hart hit one of two free throws for a four-point Arkansas-Monticello advantage at 8:50. SAU rallied though, taking a 33-27 advantage at the half.
Southern Arkansas was whistled for 25 fouls to the Cotton Blossoms’ 18, giving UAM the win at the foul line as they connected on 26 of 37 for 70.3 percent. The Lady Muleriders got only 15 chances at the foul stripe, hitting 13 for 86.7 percent.
SAU shot 49 percent from the floor on 25 of 51, while Arkansas-Monticello hit 41.2 percent on 21 of 51. Each team hit five three-pointers.
Southern Arkansas held a large 39-22 rebound advantage, but committed 23 turnovers to the Cotton Blossoms’ 10 which UAM converted into 27 points.
The loss concluded a three-game home stand for the Lady Muleriders. They travel Thursday to Arkadelphia for a 5:30 p.m. tip-off with Henderson State (11-5, 4-2 GAC).
