Box Score RALEIGH, N.C. – Saint Augustine's University showed on Wednesday, January 21, that it is a team to watch in the CIAA Southern Division this season.
Forward Terri Jacobs (Jr./McDonough, GA) finished with 22 points and 21 rebounds and Regime McCombs (Jr./Greenville, SC) added 20 points including two clutch baskets down the stretch as the Lady Falcons defeated Johnson C. Smith University 84-82 in a CIAA women's basketball contest on the Harvey D. Heartley, Sr. Court at Emery Gymnasium. The victory was the second straight for the Lady Falcons (4-3 CIAA, 10-6 overall), who appear to be peaking at the right time. They are tied with unbeaten Livingstone College for first place in the Southern Division at 2-0.
The Lady Falcons beat a formidable opponent in Johnson C. Smith (1-1 Southern Division, 5-2 CIAA, 15-3 overall). The Golden Bulls had won 11 of their last 12 contests including three in a row entering Wednesday.
Guard Porscha Walton (Jr./Chesterfield, VA) added 18 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals for the Lady Falcons, who had four players score in double figures. Guard Jeanne-Marie Wilson (Jr./Temple Hills, MD) scored 11 points and guard Shanika Harris (Jr./Richmond, VA) contributed nine points. "I am extremely excited about our victory," Lady Falcons' Head Coach Rachel Bullard said. "We played together from opening tip to the final buzzer. We had big plays from several players. I'm so proud of our collective effort." Jacobs was a terror on the boards against the Golden Bulls. It seemed as if she aggressively rebounded every missed shot. On one play, she snatched an offensive rebound away from a Golden Bulls player and scored the layup.
Her 22 points and 21 rebounds are career-highs for the junior forward. It is the first time in recent memory a Lady Falcons' player recorded more than 20 points and 20 rebounds in a single game.
While Jacobs dominated the glass, it was McCombs and Walton who hit big shots in the closing minutes. The Lady Falcons led 72-65 with 7:22 left, but the Golden Bulls erased the deficit and moved ahead 80-76 on two layups by Anika Jones with 2:13 remaining.
McCombs calmly swished a three-pointer to pull the Lady Falcons within one. Her turnaround jumper with 1:30 to play put the Lady Falcons back in front 81-80.
The Golden Bulls regained the lead 82-81 on Larryqua Hall's layup, but Walton hit a short jumper from the corner for an 83-82 Lady Falcons lead with 1:00 remaining. After the Lady Falcons forced two turnovers, Walton made one of two free throws for a two-point lead with 9.6 seconds left. It turned out to be the final margin after the Golden Bulls missed the game-tying shot that would have sent the contest into overtime.
Shanequa Phifer had 23 points for the Golden Bulls and Asha Jordan added 14 points. Jones registered 13 points, 11 rebounds and three steals.
Free throws played a big role in helping the Lady Falcons topple the Golden Bulls. The Lady Falcons were 23 of 33 for 70 percent from the charity stripe. The Golden Bulls made 14 of 28 free throw attempts for 50 percent.
The Golden Bulls opened a five-point lead in the early moments. The Lady Falcons eventually gained momentum as Jacobs and her teammates began to assert themselves. The Lady Falcons went into halftime leading 43-36 as Jacobs already had a double-double (11 points and 12 rebounds) by the first half. McCombs scored 15 of her 20 points in the second half while Jacobs and Walton both scored 11 second-half points.
Coming off a big win, the Lady Falcons will head crosstown to Shaw University this weekend. The much anticipated matchup will take place Saturday, January 24, at Spaulding Gymnasium. Game time is 2 p.m.
