RALEIGH, N.C. (Jan. 27) - Jada Swafford (Sr./Alexandria, LA) scored 17 points, including the game-winning layup with four seconds left, as Saint Augustine's University pulled out a 63-61 CIAA women's basketball victory over Livingstone at Emery Gymnasium on Thursday.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Lady Falcons, whose margin of defeat was eight points total in the three games combined.
This time, the Lady Falcons were on the winning side of a tight contest, thanks to Swafford. The senior guard took the inbound pass after a timeout with 24 seconds left and patiently dribbled down the clock before starting her drive inside the 10-second mark.
Swafford used some crafty ballhandling to get by her defender. Another Livingstone player stood between Swafford and the bucket, but she calmly lofted the ball in the air as the clock ticked down.
Swish. Game Over.
Raquel Cassidy (Jr./Gainesville, FL) also keyed the win with her first double-double of the season – 12 points and 10 rebounds. Dasmine Kasey (Jr./Roanoke, VA) chipped in nine points and Taniyah Greene (Fr./Cheltenham, MD) finished with eight points for the Lady Falcons (2-1 Southern Division, 2-6 CIAA, 6-10 overall).
Jamiah Lane tallied 19 points for the Lady Blue Bears (0-4 Southern Division, 2-6 CIAA, 3-13 overall).
The Lady Falcons started fast as they opened a 16-point lead in the second period. It appeared they would put Livingstone away early, but the Lady Blue Bears closed within 33-28 at halftime.
SAU maintained a working margin in the third period, then withstood a Lady Blue Bears rally in the fourth. Livingstone tied the game at 59 with just under a minute remaining, but Swafford answered with a layup to push the Lady Falcons ahead by two.
Livingstone canned two free throws to pull even again with 24 seconds remaining which set the stage for Swafford's game-winner.
After six consecutive home games, the Lady Falcons head to Fayetteville State for a CIAA Southern Division matchup on Saturday, Jan. 29. Tipoff is 2 p.m.
