ETTRICK, Va. – Allison Sikes (Jr./Richmond, Va.) made two key plays late to give Saint Augustine's College a 61-58 CIAA women's' basketball victory over 18th-ranked (Division II nationally) Virginia State University on Monday (Jan. 11) at Daniel Gymnasium.
Sikes scored on a follow-up layup to give the Lady Falcons (7-6 overall, 4-3 CIAA) a 60-58 lead with 23.1 seconds left. Then Sikes came up with a crucial steal which led to a Jolisa Williams (So./Charles City, Va.) free throw with 6.4 seconds left for the final margin. A desperation three-pointer by the Lady Trojans (10-3 overall, 8-2 CIAA) was way off the mark.
Sikes' late heroics capped a strong game for the 5-10 forward. She finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds including 14 points in the first half to pace the Lady Falcons to a 32-23 halftime lead.
The lead reached double digits before the Lady Trojans made a late run, but Sikes and forward Keyona Bryant (So./Springdale, Md.) helped the Lady Falcons hold the Lady Trojans at bay. Bryant scored 16 of her 22 points in the second half.
The fact that the Lady Falcons dressed seven players for the game made the victory even sweeter. LeKiesha White (Jr./Richmond, Va.) added nine points, seven rebounds and seven steals, and Crystal McCaffity (Jr./Havelock, N.C.) scored eight points including two three-pointers off the bench.
Rhon'Neisha Taylor scored 16 of her 22 points in the second half to lead a late Lady Trojan rally but it wasn't enough as the Lady Falcons won their third consecutive game. Taylor also pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds.
The Lady Falcons will take a few days off before hosting Saint Paul's College at Emery Gymnasium on Saturday (Jan. 16). Game time is 5:30 p.m.
