MAGNOLIA, Ark. – With a seven-point advantage at the half, the Lady Mulerider Basketball team maintained a slim lead until about three minutes into the fourth quarter when the Arkansas-Monticello Cotton Blossoms would spark a 9-0 run to acclaim the lead over SAU, and ultimately secure the victory, 66-56, on "Rivalry Tuesday" inside the W.T. Watson Center.
 
The Lady Muleriders jumped out to an early lead courtesy of Kimberly Crown's layup at 9:44 and then a pair of free throw makes a minute later to make it 4-0, SAU. Southern Arkansas was able to maintain that lead throughout the remainder of the first half, sparking a 7-0 in the second quarter to take a nine-point advantage over UAM, 17-9, at 6:09.
 
Trailing by seven at the intermission, the Cotton Blossoms scored 23 points in the third quarter to tie the game at 35-all at 5:41 and eventually gain the lead over SAU, 44-43, in the final eight seconds of the frame.
 
In that frame, a UAM free throw make would knot the score at 35-all, and nearly 30 seconds later Erin Brinkley connected with a basket at the charity stripe followed by a jumper in the paint that allowed SAU to reclaim the lead, 38-35. Crown immediately followed making both of her free throw attempts and Brette Wacha sank a three-point shot after that to extend the Lady Mulerider lead out to 43-35 with just over three minutes left to play in the third quarter.
 
A 9-0 run in the final three minutes of that frame gave the Cotton Blossoms a slim 44-43 lead over SAU. Ramiah Henry made a jumper early in the fourth quarter and Sue Key connected with a fast-break layup that put the Lady Muleriders back in game, 47-44, but a favorable pair of trips to the charity stripe for UAM gave the Cotton Blossoms back the lead at 7:06, 48-47.
 
Southern Arkansas was unable to withstand a late UAM rally as the Cotton Blossoms added 18 points after that to pull away from the Lady Muleriders late and establish the win, 66-56.
 

OF NOTE:

• Three Lady Muleriders scored in double-figures with Key leading the team at 14 total points
• Brinkley followed with 11 points and six rebounds and Olivia McWilliams rounded out the double-digit scorers at 10 points
• Crown totaled eight points, six rebounds, and made all four of her free throw attempts in the game 

UP NEXT

• The Lady Muleriders return to action again on Thursday, January 25^th, as they will host Oklahoma Baptist in a conference matchup starting at 5:30 p.m. inside the W.T. Watson Center.