Box Score
Jackson, MS-After a tough loss at LSU-Shreveport on Saturday, the Belhaven women's basketball team returned home Thursday night and defeated Dillard University 54-52 to go to 12-5 on the season and 3-2 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. LaTessia Lee drilled the game winning three pointer with 24 seconds left and the defense kept the Lady Blue Devils off scoreboard over the final seconds to secure the win. With the loss, Dillard falls to 5-12 and 1-4 in the GCAC.

                                                      

Thursday's game was a back and forth battle the entire night. The largest lead for either side was a Belhaven seven point advantage with 17:22 left to go in the second half. The Lady Blue Devils jumped out to an early four point lead 11-7 with 16:15 left in the first half on a basket by Meaquell Lewis. Kimberley Ward put Belhaven on top for the first time at 12-11 on a pair of free throws at 12:30 mark of the opening period.

 

Dillard then fought back to take a three point lead 25-22 with just over three minutes remaining before halftime. After both teams traded a couple of baskets, the Lady Blazers were able to seize some momentum going into the break when Jira Williams connected on a layup with five seconds on the clock to give Belhaven a 28-27 halftime lead.

 

The Lady Blazers came out in the second half and quickly put together a 6-0 run to extend the lead to seven points. The Lady Blue Devils battled back to tie the score at 38-38 with 9:34 to play in the contest. Belhaven regained a three point advantage with 9:05 left, but then found themselves trailing by three 45-42 with 7:21 on the clock. With just over two and a half minutes to go, Kimberly Ward knocked down a field goal followed by a Jaelyn Stringer basket and just like that the Lady Blazers were back in the lead 50-47. Dillard then scored the next three points to tie the game at 50 with just over a minute left. Stringer then hit a free throw with 54 seconds remaining to give the Lady Blazers a one point lead 51-50.

 

Dillard's Jessica Small made it 52-51 in favor of the Lady Blue Devils with just 39 seconds left in regulation. That set the stage for Lee's three point basket that would prove to be the game winner. It was one of two three pointers that the Lady Blazers converted in the game. Belhaven's defense was solid the entire night including the final 24 seconds in which they kept Dillard from tying or taking the lead. The Lady Blazers forced 26 turnovers and put a tremendous amount of pressure on the Lady Blue Devil offense.

 

Jaelyn Stringer had her best game of the season with a game high 21 points and 15 rebounds for her first double double of the year. Jira Williams chipped in with 10 points and eight rebounds for the Lady Blazers. Belhaven only shot 36.2 percent from the field but outrebounded Dillard 40-36. Dillard was led on offense by Jessica Small with 13 points and Valjean Gordon paced the team in rebounds with 11. The Lady Blue Devils made just 29.4 percent of their free throws going 5 for 17 from the charity stripe.