UAPB Women Hoops Catch Fire From Deep To Lift Lady

TALLAHASSEE, FL – The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff women’s basketball team hit 7-of-15 attempts from beyond the arc, shooting 46.7 percent from deep in a 71-68 win against the Florida A&M Rattlers on the road Saturday.

The Lady Lions had three players score in double figures, led by Maya Peat, who had 17 points and seven rebounds. Coriah Beck added 16 points and Demetria Shephard helped out with 13 points.

UAPB pulled down 37 rebounds in Saturday’s game compared to Florida A&M’s 28, led by Peat’s seven boards. The Lady Lions also cleaned up the offensive glass, turning 16 rebounds into 16 second chance points.

The UAPB defense caused its share of mistakes in Saturday’s game, forcing 26 Florida A&M turnovers. Those takeaways turned into 18 points on the offensive end of the floor. Jelissa Reese led the way individually for the Lady Lions with two steals.

“We were very resilient and did a good job of controlling the pace of the game,” head coach Dawn Thornton remarked following the win over FAMU. “We have to do a better job at protecting the ball, but our defensive play stood out and made up for those slight miscues. Kourtney [Rittenberry] has stepped into as an asset to our defense since joining the starting lineup, and Maya [Peat] continues to show her presence in this conference night in and night out.”

How It Happened

After falling behind 7-0, UAPB went on a 7-0 run with 8:19 left in the first quarter to tie the game at seven. The Lady Lions then proceeded to grab an 18-13 lead heading into quarter number two. UAPB capitalized on six Florida A&M turnovers in the period, turning them into five points on the other end of the floor.

UAPB kept its first quarter lead intact before going on a 7-0 run starting at the 6:34 mark in the second period, highlighted by a three from Beck, to increase its lead to 31-19. The Rattlers cut into that lead, but the Lady Lions still enjoyed a 37-34 advantage heading into halftime. UAPB forced nine Florida A&M turnovers in the period and turned them into nine points.

UAPB continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 6-0 run to expand its lead further to 57-50 with two seconds to go in the third, a score which remained until the end of the third quarter. UAPB knocked down three three-pointers in the quarter to score nine of its 20 total points.

The Lady Lions then held on for the victory in the fourth quarter. UAPB took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 10 of its 14 points in the paint.

Game Notes

» The Lady Lions shot well from three point range, knocking down seven of 15 long range attempts.
» UAPB tallied 16 total assists in the game.
» UAPB had a 37-28 edge on the boards in the win.
» UAPB cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 16 offensive boards in the game.
» Maya Peat led the Lady Lions with 17 points.
» UAPB got a team-high seven rebounds from Maya Peat.