Miles has played Tuskegee tough twice this season and owned second half leads in both contests. But at the final horn, the Lady Bears have been unable to stop the Golden Tigerettes from earning victories.

Playing inside the packed Knox-Windham Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon, Miles (13-6, 9-5 SIAC West) fell 76-68 to Tuskegee, which allowed the school's top rival to clinch a tie for the SIAC West Division title. The Golden Tigerettes (17-3, 14-0) used a 13-2 run between the third and fourth quarters to break open a tight game and take home a sweep of the season series. The Lady Bears led by as many as eight points in the first half but allowed Tuskegee to shoot 55 percent from the field over the final three quarters.

The early energy from the crowd fueled the Lady Bears. Eunique McKinney drained a jumper and Feliah Greer split two free throws to help Miles to a 21-13 lead inside the opening minute of the second quarter. But behind Ashaila Jackson, Tuskegee was able to erase that deficit. She made all four of her shot attempts and grabbed six rebounds in the second period alone and Tuskegee shot 60 percent from the field. Sumaiyah Abdur-Rahim made two late baskets and had the score tied at 35 with nine seconds left before the half. But Iemyiah Harris converted a three-point play with three seconds left to give Miles a 38-35 lead going into halftime.

The game became a see-saw battle in the third. Imani Williams' three-point play put the Lady Bears ahead by two points less than three minutes into the stanza. Tuskegee would tie the game up but Tederia Ashley would take a feed in the post to regain the lead, 43-41, with six-and-a-half minutes remaining in the quarter. But the Golden Tigerettes would take the lead for good midway through the period and Miles was forced into catch-up mode. Harris would drill a 3-pointer - one of just two made from deep for the Lady Bears - that cut the deficit to a single point with less than two minutes left. But Miles wold miss its last five shots of the quarter and Tuskegee would lead 55-50 going into the fourth.

Tuskegee took control in the fourth, scoring the first five points of the period for its first double-digit lead. Airelle McElroy scored at the 7:44 mark to push the TU advantage to 64-52, its largest of the game. Ashley continued to thrive for the Lady Bears, scoring 11 of her team-high 19 points (she also grabbed nine boards) in the final period. When Harris scored with 95 seconds left, the Lady Bears had closed to within 69-64. But a questionable no-call on a shot attempt by Williams ultimately led to a technical foul call against Miles. The Golden Tigerettes converted 3-of-4 free throws and Miles never got any closer.

Jackson had 22 points and 20 rebounds for Tuskegee, which had three other players score in double figures. Harris (13 points, five assist, five steals) and Williams (nine points, eight rebounds, three steals, two blocks) helped lead the charge for Miles, which hosts Spring Hill on Monday. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.