Albany, GA – The Albany State University Lady Golden Rams put up a hard-fought battle but were unable to close out in the final minutes, falling 58-52 to Allen University on Play4Kay Night at the Jones Brothers HPER Complex. With the loss, ASU drops to 7-15 overall and 4-12 in SIAC play, while Allen improves to 16-7 overall and 11-5 in conference action.

The Lady Golden Rams came out strong in the first quarter. Na'Haviya Paxton led the early charge, attacking the rim and keeping ASU engaged on both ends of the floor. Albany State edged Allen 9-8 at the end of the first period, setting the stage for a defensive battle.

The second quarter mirrored the first, with both teams struggling to find an offensive rhythm. Kendall Davis and Quantrese Washington provided key baskets to keep ASU in the fight. Allen, however, found success at the free-throw line, converting 12-of-17 attempts in the first half, which helped the visitors stay close. After a back-and-forth second quarter, the teams went into the locker room tied at 21-21.

Coming out of halftime, the Lady Golden Rams looked to create separation, but Allen took advantage of turnovers and second-chance opportunities. Despite strong defensive rebounding from Keyra Peterson and Yasmine Fairchild, ASU struggled to contain Allen's inside attack. The Lady Golden Rams shot just 22% from the field in the third quarter, allowing Allen to take a 35-32 lead heading into the final period.

In the fourth quarter, Albany State continued to battle, with Davis leading the charge with a team-high 17 points. The Lady Golden Rams cut the deficit to just two points in the final minutes, but Allen capitalized on costly ASU turnovers and clutch free throws to hold on for the win.

Despite the loss, Albany State dominated the rebounding battle 53-50, with Peterson and Fairchild combining for 18 boards. However, cold shooting from beyond the arc (0-for-8) and 27 turnovers proved costly in the tightly contested matchup.

Up Next
The Lady Golden Rams will travel to Fort Valley, GA, to face rival Fort Valley State on Saturday, February 22, at 1:05 PM. The game will be showcased on HBCU GO, allowing ASU to bounce back on a national stage.
 
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ABOUT ALBANY STATE ATHLETICS
Albany State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II-level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 11 sports: women's volleyball, women's tennis, women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, softball, men's and women's track and field, women's soccer, baseball, and football with all teams compete in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), except women's soccer, which participates in the Peach Belt Conference.