Box Score RALEIGH, N.C. – The Saint Augustine's University women's basketball team celebrated Senior Day with a victory over Fayetteville State University, thanks to Terry Jacobs (McDonough, Ga.).
The junior forward amassed 20 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Lady Falcons past the Lady Broncos 79-72 in a CIAA contest on the Harvey D. Heartley, Sr. Court at Emery Gymnasium on Saturday, February 21, 2015. Jacobs also had three of the Lady Falcons' 12 steals.
"This was a great win," Lady Falcons' Head Coach Rachel Bullard said. "Our ladies fought hard for 40 minutes and didn't back down. We got major minutes from Terri Jacobs. This was a special win because it was Senior Day." With the victory, the Lady Falcons finished in a fourth-place tie with Winston-Salem State University in the Southern Division. Both teams ended the regular season 3-7 in the division, and the Lady Falcons enter next week's CIAA Tournament with a 12-13 overall mark.
The Lady Falcons are heading to the tournament with momentum after rallying past the Lady Broncos (1-9 Southern Division, 8-17 overall). Jacobs totaled 14 points and 10 rebounds in the second half for the Lady Falcons, who trailed much of the contest.
The Lady Falcons were behind 68-63 with 3:54 left, but Jacobs scored eight points and grabbed three rebounds in the game-winning 16-4 run. Her three-point play off an offensive rebound gave the Lady Falcons the lead for good at 70-68 with 2:16 remaining. The Lady Falcons led only four times the entire game.
Jacobs, who has 11 double doubles this season, more than held her own against a Lady Broncos' front line featuring 6-foot-4 twin towers Deja Middleton and Bria Robinson. Middleton is the CIAA Defensive Player of the Year.
Jacobs, who stands 6-feet, scored most of her points from the free throw line after drawing fouls inside the lane. She was 12 of 14 from the charity stripe including 8 of 10 in the second half for the Lady Falcons, who owned a huge edge in free throws. The Lady Falcons, who lead the conference in free throw percentage, free throw attempts and free throws made, knocked down 24 of 28 free throw attempts for 86 percent. The Lady Broncos were 7 of 9 for 78 percent.
Their free throw accuracy made up for 36 percent shooting from the floor. The Lady Falcons also scored 25 points off 23 Lady Bronco turnovers.
Several other Lady Falcons contributed to the win. Guard Porscha Walton (Jr./Chesterfield, VA) scored 18 points while guards Raneka Dunaway (Sr./Richmond, VA) and Regime McCombs (Jr./Greenville, SC) added 11 points apiece for the Lady Falcons, who outscored the Lady Broncos 45-35 in the second half. Guard Jeanne-Marie Wilson (Redshirt Jr./Temple Hills, MD) added eight points, five rebounds and two steals and guard Shanika Harris (Jr./Richmond, VA) scored six points. Deja Middleton scored 25 points and Bria Robinson added 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Lady Broncos, who shot 45 percent from the floor. Makalya Williams registered 11 points.
Both Middleton and Robinson scored 10 first-half points for the Lady Broncos, who led by as many as eight points in the opening 20 minutes. The Lady Falcons stayed within reach behind eight points from Walton and seven points from Dunaway in the first half before picking up the intensity in the second half.
The victory made Senior Day even more enjoyable for Coach Bullard, her coaching staff consisting of Jarita Crump, James "Art" Richmond and Monique Fearrington, and the student-athletes. Four Lady Falcons were among 12 seniors honored after the game. They were Briana Arrington (Richmond, VA), Li'Esa Barnett (Raeford, NC), Dunaway and Wilson. "Our seniors are special and will be truly missed," Bullard said.
