Albany, GA- Point guard Mecca Frost hit a three-pointer as time expired to lift the Albany State Lady Rams to a pulsating 68-66 win over the Clark Atlanta Lady Panthers. With the win, ASU gets over .500 for the first time this season with a 10-9 overall record and improved to 9-3 in the SIAC. CAU falls to 8-10, 4-7.
Albany State trailed for most of the first half. The Lady Rams did hold a slim 16-15 lead at the 9:16 mark, but a long scoring drought put them behind again. With several players sitting with foul trouble, ASU trailed 30-27 at halftime.
In the second half, Keidra Green made two free throws to put the Lady Rams ahead 35-33 with 16.08 left in the game. ASU held its largest lead of the game, 55-49, at the 7:49 mark.
However, Albany State went cold from the field again, and CAU made its run. The Lady Panthers connected on a three-pointer to go ahead 64-63 with 2:07 remaining in regulation. A pair of free throws by Frost put ASU back in front 65-64 with 32 seconds left.
Clark Atlanta was fouled with 18 seconds remaining. CAU's Brandie Robertson made the ensuing free throws, and the Lady Panthers had a 66-65 lead. On Albany State's next possession, Frost turned the ball over, and CAU, with eight seconds left on the clock, had an opportunity to put the game away with two free throws
Mykala Jones missed the one-and-one opportunity for the Lady Panthers, and Frost pushed the ball up the floor. Fighting a double team with time winding down, Frost nailed a desperation three-pointer that banked off the glass to send the Lady Rams into a frenzy and the win column.
Ieshia Young led Albany State with 15 points, nine rebounds, and four steals. Green netted 14 points and added seven rebounds. Frost and Holston each scored 10 points. Holston led the Lady Rams in rebounding with 12, and Frost recorded a team-high eight assists.
The Lady Rams shot 24-for-73 (32.9%) from the field, three-for-15 (20%) from three-point range, and 17-for-27 (63%) from the free throw line. The team forced the Lady Panthers into 25 turnovers.
Albany State returns to action on Saturday, February 7 when it hosts the Benedict College Lady Tigers. Benedict defeated the Lady Rams 55-53 in a controversial finish on January 24. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m.
