Boxscore
PETERSBURG, Va. – The Saint Augustine's University women's basketball team passed its first test in the CIAA thanks to defense and depth.
The visiting Lady Falcons edged Virginia State 67-62 in their conference opener at Daniel Gymnasium on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013. Guards Regime McCombs (Fr./Greenville, S.C.) and Ebony Spencer (Jr./Chesapeake, Va.) both came off the bench to score 16 points and 11 points, respectively, as the Lady Falcons outscored the Lady Trojans by a whopping 45-11 in bench points.
“I am really proud of our bench,” St. Aug Head Coach Rachel Bullard said. “What can I say? Forty-five points for our bench to their 11 speaks volumes.”
While the bench scored more than half of the Lady Falcons' points, it was a starter - Porscha Walton (Fr./Chesterfield, Va.) - who finished off the Lady Falcons (5-5 overall). She scored three of the Lady Falcons' four points in the final minute to finish off Lady Trojans (7-4, 0-1 CIAA). Walton, a dynamic point guard, had 10 points, five assists and three steals.
Walton epitomized the poise that the Lady Falcons showed against a team which is annually a CIAA contender. With a roster including five freshmen and four sophomores, the Lady Falcons pulled out a close win over a more experienced squad.
Their non-conference schedule, which included Division I Winthrop University, prepared them for such a game. The Lady Falcons played seven of their previous nine games on the road.
The younger Lady Falcons pressured the Lady Trojans into 24 turnovers and 36 percent shooting. The turnovers led to 28 points including several points in transition which helped the Lady Falcons shoot a season-high 53 percent. The Lady Falcons also grabbed more rebounds, 37-33.
“This team likes to play hard-nosed defense,” Bullard said. “We move our feet well defensively.”
The Lady Falcons controlled the contest for the most part despite 33 turnovers, but the Lady Trojans, led by 16 points from Lamesha Deal and 15 points from Ashley Whitaker, made a late run. The Lady Falcons, who led 56-47 with 8:21 left, wavered a little bit but never folded. Their lead was cut to 63-62 but they never the game slip away from them.
“Our girls never blinked,” Bullard said. “We maintained a level of composure and were able to pull it out in the end.”
Terri Jacobs (Fr./McDonough, Ga.) added six points and eight rebounds while Jasmine Cuffee (Fr./Norfolk, Va.) scored six points as reserves for the Lady Falcons. McCombs and Cuffee each added three steals.
The Lady Falcons return to action on Saturday, Jan. 5, at Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, N.C. Game time is 5:30 p.m.
It will be the seventh straight away game for the Lady Falcons.
