THREE LADY BEARS IN DOUBLE FIGURES IN 77-73 OVERTIME WIN OVER BENEDICT
FAIRFIELD, AL – Junior
Toccara Charles, sophomore
Sammeika Thomas and senior
Ashley Orphey for the Miles College Lady Bears (14-6; 11-5 SIAC) scored in double figures giving them the 77-73 overtime victory in a close fight against #1 Benedict College Lady Tigers (14-7; 12-5 SIAC) Tuesday night at Knox-Windham Gymnasium.
In the first half, the Lady Bears jumped out to a 15-0 run with a 3-pointer by Charles at the 14:46 mark, then Monique Weathers hit a jumper to put the Lady Tigers on the board with 13:58 left. After several turnovers by the Lady Bears, the Lady Tigers would take advantage as Charvez Holmes would tie the game 28-28 at halftime.
Charles had 12 points and Thomas five rebounds for the Lady Bears at halftime, while Holmes scored seven and Brittany Jackson pulled in seven rebounds.
Miles shot 33.3 percent from the floor and 6-for-6 (100.0 percent) at the free throw line. Benedict hit 31.0 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from the foul line.
In the second half, the Lady Tigers got hot going up 43-35 at the 14:45 mark and again 56-48 with 10:34 to go, before Orphey's layup with 4:33 left cut the lead to 56-55. The lady Bears would go ahead 62-59 on two free throws by Charles with 23 seconds left, but with three seconds to go Benedict's Alexus Jones dained a tray for the tie 62-62 sending the game into overtime.
In overtime, Thomas broke the ice with a layup with 4:58 to go for the lead 64-62, as the Lady Bears would jump out to a 71-62 lead on a made free throw by Charles with 3:03 remaining in overtime. The Lady Tigers cut that lead to 75-73 on a 3-pointer by Holmes with 32 seconds left, but Thomas was having none of it as she put the game away with two free throws with six seconds remaining for the win.
For the game, the Lady Bears hit 40.3 percent of their shots and 80.0 percent (16-for-20) from the free throw line, while Benedict shot 38.7 percent from the field and 50.0 percent (14-for-28) at the foul line. The Lady Tigers would out rebound the Lady Bears 43-42.
Thomas had her best game as a Lady Bear this season scoring 21 points and grabbing 15 rebounds and raking up her 8th double-double of the season. Thomas went 8-of-13 from the floor, 5-for-5 at the free throw line, had five assist, three steals and blocked three shots in the victory. Charles scored a game-high 22 points while hitting 6-of-14 shots, 6-of-12 shots from behind the arch, five rebounds and going 4-for-4 at the line. Orphey added 15 point and six rebounds, while dishing out a game-high six assist and stealing the ball five times. Junior
Ashlee Barley grabbed six boards and added four points.
Bridget Williams and Brittany Jackson led the Lady Tigers in scoring with 14 points each, while Jackson had 15 rebounds.
The Lady Bears will take on the Lady Dragons of Lane College on Thursday, February 10 in Jackson, TN at 5:30 p.m.
