AUSTIN – Huston-Tillotson University's women's basketball team concluded the regular season Saturday with a 61-54 Homecoming win over visiting Jarvis Christian.
In front of their largest crowd of the season at HT's Mary E. Branch Gymnasium, the Rams dominated most of the second half and led by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter and then maintained their lead en route to their fourth consecutive victory.
Senior guard
Destiny Stanford scored a game-high 17 points to lead three HT players in double figures.
Summer Thomas added 12 points, while
Wilashia Burleson finished a rebound shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Jacy Reese scored 15 points to lead the Bulldogs (3-22, 3-21 RRAC).
The Rams (13-14, 12-12 RRAC) secured the No. 5-seed into the postseason Red River Athletic Conference tournament in Alexandria, La. HT's women's basketball team has made the RRAC tournament in every season they have fielded a team during head coach
Kendall DuCree's nine-year tenure. (HT opted out of competition in the 2020-21 season that immediately followed the start of the CoVID-19 outbreak.)
HT and Jarvis Christian were tied at halftime; the Rams seized control of the game by outscoring their guests 16-7 in the third quarter. HT held the Bulldogs to 13 percent shooting (2 of 15) from the floor during the third period.
The Rams continued to pull away from the Bulldogs in the final period, twice leading by 15 points midway through the frame. HT led 61-48 with 2:56 remaining in the game, which proved to be too much for the Bulldogs to overcome even though the visitors scored the last six points of the contest.
The Bulldogs' efforts were undermined by poor free throw shooting, as they made only 20 percent (2 of 10) of their attempts at the line. HT shot 60 percent (12 of 20) from the free throw line.
Aliyah Carter,
Tyaija Coleman, and
Jade Hilliary scored six points apiece for the Rams. Coleman also added 10 rebounds and three blocks to her stat line; her three blocks matched Thomas' total in that category.
Bria Jackson chipped in four points off the HT bench.
The Rams now turn their attention to the RRAC Tournament, where they will face the No. 4-seed Texas A&M–San Antonio Jaguars in the opening round Friday, Feb. 28. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. at the Rapides Parish Coliseum in Alexandria.
– HT –
