Box Score
NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Belhaven women's basketball team came into Saturday's contest with Loyola needing a second big win in a row. Alisha Rayborn's jumper with four seconds remaining did exactly that, as the Blazers prevailed over the Wolfpack 42-40 in Southern States Athletic Conference action.

Belhaven entered the day as a part of a three-way tie for fourth place in the SSAC West with Loyola and Spring Hill. The Blazers (9-12, 6-5 SSAC) defeated the Badgers of Spring Hill by 17 points two weeks ago, but the matchup with the Wolfpack (8-11, 5-6 SSAC) loomed large.

The winner would fall into a tie with Mobile for third in the West, while the loser would drop all the way to sixth. Both teams knew the high stakes that were presented before them.

The Blazers continued to play excellent defense on Saturday afternoon, which they have been able to do even in losses during the past month. However, the offense still had its fair share of mistakes and unlucky breaks to keep the game close.

Loyola only scored 17 points in the first half, the second time in four games that the Blazers have held an opponent under 20 points in an opening half. The Wolfpack was able to counter its poor shooting with shutdown defense, especially on the inside.

TaShayla Steede and Erike Leflore were held to a combined 10 points on 5-of-15 shooting, but each player was able to make a difference on the glass.

Despite struggling on offense, the Blazers held the five-point lead at the halftime buzzer, 22-17.

Belhaven came out flat after the break and Loyola scored the first 13 points of the second half to take a 30-22 lead. The Blazers were unable to get clear looks at the basket during a scoreless drought that lasted close to eight minutes to begin the half.

That was when the senior backcourt of Rayborn and Sarah Carr took over the game.

With the Blazers trailing by eight, the two guards combined to score eight of the next 16 points for Belhaven, including two momentum-changing three's by Carr. The second made triple by Carr gave the Blazers a 38-37 lead, capping a 16-7 run that spanned over 10 minutes.

Each team had a chance to take charge of the game in the waning minutes of the game, but were unable to ice the game with free throws.

Loyola had the ball with less than 20 seconds to play in regulation and the score tied at 40 points apiece. Unfortunately for the Lady Wolfpack, an untimely turnover by Callie McNally gave the ball back to the Blazers for one last possession before overtime.

The overtime period never came for Loyola.

Alisha Rayborn worked the clock down to only a few seconds and with the shot clock turned off. Eventually, Rayborn got past her defender and into the lane, putting up a floater in the process.

Rayborn's shot found the bottom of the net, sinking the hopeful hearts of the Wolfpack faithful. Loyola was not able to get a clean look at the basket to end the game and the Blazers walked out of New Orleans with a huge victory.

Rayborn and Carr were the only two players with double-digit scoring for the Blazers, as each player finished with 10 points. Leflore had nine rebounds, which was the top Belhaven mark, and Steede finished with seven as well.

The most important stat of the day was Belhaven holding a talented Loyola team to 26% shooting from the floor and only 40 points on the afternoon. Only one Wolfpack player landed in double digits and that was Shayne Charles with 13 points. Jasmine Brewer, Loyola's leading scorer coming into the game with a 16.4 points per game average, was limited to seven points. Brewer still pulled down a game high 13 rebounds.

Belhaven will return home to tangle with No. 22 Faulkner on Thursday night beginning at 5:30 p.m.