Box Score

KINGSVILLE, Texas – Leading 69-59, with 5:14 left in the second half, the Southern Arkansas women's basketball team was forced to withstand a furious late comeback attempt by Texas A&M-Kingsville as the Lady Muleriders held off TAMUK for a 76-73 win on Wednesday night at the Hampton Inn Court.
 
The Javelinas' (3-3) all-out comeback charge began with 5:04 left in the game when Tonje Milde knocked down a three-pointer to pull TAMUK to within single digits, 69-62. Over the course of the next 3:06 of the game, the Lady Muleriders (3-2) would record just one field goal as the Javelinas added 10 more points to take their first lead since the 11:51 mark of the first half, 72-71. All told, it was a 13-2 run by the Javelinas.
 
With the game now under two minutes to play, SAU's Stevi Cooper made good on a pair of free throws to give the Lady Muleriders the lead back, 73-71. From there, the game's anxiety would grow larger as each team turned the ball over twice following Copper's free throws.
 
The final turnover, which came with eight seconds left and SAU leading 74-73, nearly proved to be the most costly of the game as it gave the Javelinas the chance to call a timeout and set up a play for the final shot.
 
That shot would be taken by Sheana Jones, but Jones' attempted game-winner would not fall and SAU's Courtney Lindsey pulled down her ninth and most important rebound with just one second left on the clock. Lindsey was immediately fouled on the rebound and went to the line to shoot a pair of free throws. Lindsey, who was just 2-of-4 from the free throw line to that point, was clutch with her final two attempts as she made good on both, sealing the win for the Lady Muleriders.
 
Statistically, the Lady Muleriders shot fairly well from the floor, going 28-of-68 (41%). Conversely, the Javelinas struggled shooting the ball as they made good on just 20-of-67 shots (30%). The difference in the shooting numbers came beyond the arc as the Javelinas knocked down six more three-pointers than the Lady Muleriders.
 
Individually, 11 different Lady Muleriders scored with Miranda Grier leading the team with 12 points. Barvion Wyatt would join Grier in double figures with 10 points of her own. Grier also led the team in rebounds with 10 to record her second double-double of the season.
 
The Lady Muleriders will now take a couple of days off and celebrate Thanksgiving before they will play in the two-day Trinity Thanksgiving Classic starting on Saturday, November 30. Their game that day will be against the host-school Trinity University and will have a 4 p.m. tip-off time.