Feb. 9, 2002
Bowling Green, Ky. - Rae-Ann Smith hit a jumper with 16 seconds remaining as Arkansas State held on to knock off the Western Kentucky women's basketball team 55-54 Saturday night.
Arkansas State (10-14, 4-7 SBC East) scored the first eight points of the game, holding the Lady Toppers (14-9, 8-4 SBC East) scoreless until a steal and layup by Natalie Powers (Sr., Owensboro, Ky.) at the 16:14 mark. That layup sparked a 6-0 WKU run over the next 1:27 that made it an 8-6 game with 14:43 remaining. The Lady Indians maintained the lead, however, extending the advantage to as much as nine (15-6) on a three by Amber Abraham with 12:37 to play. WKU battled back and evened the score at 19-19 at the 8:44 mark on an old-fashioned three-point play by Powers, but ASU quickly regained the lead on a three by Casie Lowman. WKU took its first lead (25-24) at the 5:40 mark on a layup by Shala Reese (Jr., Easton, Texas), but Arkansas State finished the half on a 6-2 run to take a 30-27 lead into the intermission.
Powers led all scores at the half with 15 points, while Abraham tossed in 13 to lead ASU. The Lady Indians dominated the boards in the first 20 minutes, outrebound Western 22-14.
Lowman opened the second half with a three to extend the ASU lead to six (33-27) early in the period, as the Lady Indians were able to extend the advantage to nine points (44-35) with 13:46 to play. Western got back within three at the 9:57 mark on a layup by Leslie Logsdon (So., Munfordville, Ky.). That shot sparked a 10-4 Lady Topper run that evened the score a 50-50 on two Tiffiany Diggins (Jr., Des Moines, Wash.) with 7:04 to play. Neither team scored for the next 2:22, but Western took the lead when a Powers layup made it 52-50 with 3:42 to play. ASU scored the next three points to take a 53-52 lead with 1:41 to go, but Western responded with a jumper from Logsdon to regain the lead with 47 seconds left. The Lady Indians ran down the clock as Smith hit the eventual game-winning jumper with just 16 seconds left. After a WKU missed shot, the Lady Toppers got a steal at midcourt, but Logsdon's last-second shot attempt fell short as ASU held on for the win.
Abraham led all scorers with 22 points for Arkansas State, including a 6-of-8 performance from behind the three-point arc. Powers scored 17 to pace Western, while Reese added 10. Diggins finished with a season-high 10 points, tying for game-high honors.
The Lady Toppers head back on the road for their next three games, beginning Tuesday night (Feb. 12) as they face Southwest Missouri State in a nonconference battle in Springfield, Mo.
-- WKU --
