WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Balance leads to UAFS' 10th win
Four Arkansas-Fort Smith players scored in double figures as the Lions earned its 10th win of the season Sunday with an 85-74 victory over Central Oklahoma in women's basketball action in the Stubblefield Center.
Forward Sinetra Jones paced the Lions (10-5, 4-2) with 17 points off the bench on 7-of-11 shooting while also grabbing five rebounds. Guard Morgan Browning added 12 points and seven assists, while guards Zyniah Thomas and Anna Trusty scored 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Lions exploded for 30 points in the second quarter by shooting 75 percent and leading by as many as eight before taking a 46-41 halftime lead.
UCO took a 69-68 lead with 6:32 remaining before the Lions went on a 9-3 run over the next four minutes, with four points from forward Layne Kirkendoll. Kirkendoll dominated the glass with 14 rebounds on the afternoon.
Guard Telisha Brown closed out the game with her second fourth-quarter three to put the Lions up, 81-72, with a minute left. Brown started the prior run with a triple to give the Lions the lead for good.
UAFS finished shooting 44.1 percent and 38.5 percent from three-point range with 17 assists. The Lions had a 17-6 edge in second chance points and 13-7 advantage in points off turnovers. The Lions also had 39 bench points.
Next up for the Lions is a road contest at Northeastern State at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Lions notch first MIAA victory
Arkansas-Fort Smith's men claimed their first MIAA win of the year Sunday after defeating Central Oklahoma, 79-71, in the Stubblefield Center.
The Lions (7-8, 1-5) trailed, 69-58, but closed the game on a 21-2 run over the final 5:10 to earn the victory.
Guard Terrell Williams Jr. started the run with a layup and a three-pointer before a three-point play by guard VJ Reeves cut the deficit to two. Williams then hit another jumper in the paint, and Reeves gave the Lions the lead on a three-pointer on the following possession.
A three-pointer by guard Roland McCoy extended the lead to four as the Lions scored the final 10 points of the game. Williams scored nine of his team-high 18 points during the run.
The Lions led for the first eight minutes and took a 20-18 lead on a three by McCoy midway through the first half before enduring a seven-minute scoreless stretch before the break. UCO led 34-23 at the half and maintained that lead until the Lions dominated in the final minutes.
McCoy and forward D'Ante Bell each tallied 15 points with Bell pulling down a team-high eight rebounds. Reeves added 11 points and six boards off the bench. UAFS finished with 45 points from its reserves.
The Lions shot 58.6 percent in the second half, including 50 percent from three-point range and finished at 45.8 percent overall.
Up next for the Lions is a road contest at Northeastern State at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.