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Southwest Mississippi Community College

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Lady Bears drop home-opener

By: Michael D. Gunnell, Southwest Sports Information
Tootie Rankin

Women's Basketball | 11/12/2018 10:49:00 PM

It was a tough night on the hardwood for the Lady Bears as they dropped their home debut to the LSU-Eunice Lady Bengals, 92-84, on the opening night of the Southwest/Coca-Cola Classic.
 
The Lady Bears (1-2) held a 4-3 lead early in the game on a layup by Tootie Rankin. However, the Lady Bengals would score 22 of the next 28 points to move out to a 25-10 lead with 2:54 left in the first quarter.
 
Amari Pittman nailed a three-pointer to start a 9-0 run by the Lady Bears to close their deficit to 25-19 late in the quarter, but the Lady Bengals went on to take a 30-20 advantage into the second quarter.
 
A Ty Lee jumper with 8:18 on the clock pulled the Lady Bears to within 34-29 in the second quarter. Trailing 43-33, the Lady Bears pulled to within 47-45 with 2:21 before halftime.
 
The Lady Bengals (1-1) then took a 49-46 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
A three-pointer from Rankin gave the Lady Bears a 51-49 lead early in the third quarter. They then went up by three, 58-55, on a Jamaya Galloway bucket with 4:50 on the clock.

An 11-2 run by the Lady Bengals then enabled them to go on top 66-60 at the end of the quarter.
 
In the fourth quarter, a jumper from Tootie Carter and Galloway's free throw pulled the Lady Bears to within four points, 70-66, with 7:15 left in the game. Pittman's layup with 3:30 to go then left the Lady Bears down 77-74.
 
That, however, would prove to be as close as the Lady Bears would get the rest of the way as the Lady Bengals went on to claim the eight-point win.
 
"Tonight we learned a lesson in pace of play," said Lady Bears head coach Brent Harris. "We allowed LSU-E to speed us up and make some questionable decisions. To compound the issue, we did not convert at the charity stripe."
 
"We will learn and get better, Harris continued.  "(Give) credit to LSU-E. They are a well-coached, talented team."
 
Rankin led the Lady Bears' offense with 20 points. Pittman netted 17 points while Galloway had 14. Lee and Carter were also in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
 
The Lady Bears struggled at the free throw line, making only 13 of 27.
 
The Lady Bengals' Arianna Dargin led all scorers with 29 points. She and her teammates combined to go 7-10 at the free throw line.
 
The Lady Bears close out their portion of the Coca-Cola Classic Tuesday evening against Baton Rouge Community College. Tipoff is set for 5:30.



 
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