Tuskegee, Ala. — The Albany State Lady Golden Rams delivered a gritty, hard-fought performance Monday afternoon but came up just short in a 70–65 overtime loss to Tuskegee University in an emotional MLK Day showdown.

Albany State set the tone early, jumping out to a 4–0 run before Tuskegee quickly responded to even the score. What followed was a physical opening stretch, with both teams battling in the paint for rebounds and second-chance opportunities. By the end of the first quarter, the game had already featured four ties, but the Lady Golden Rams held control with an 18–12 advantage — their largest lead of the period. A late foul sent Tuskegee to the line, trimming the margin to 18–13 heading into the second quarter.

The Lady Golden Rams struck first in the second frame as Tiffani Goodman opened the quarter with a smooth floater. Tuskegee soon found its rhythm, however, using a scoring surge to claim a 25–22 lead. Albany State answered when Goodman found Khyla Ragins deep beyond the arc to knot the game once again. The Golden Tigers responded with a three-point play, but Na'Haviya Paxton cleaned up the glass and finished a fast-break layup to send the game into halftime tied.

Momentum swung back to Albany State in the third quarter as the Lady Golden Rams put together an 8–2 run to grab an eight-point lead with 5:36 remaining — the largest advantage of the game. The energy surged on the Albany State bench, but Tuskegee refused to fold, chipping away before tying the contest yet again. The back-and-forth nature continued into the fourth quarter, where neither team could gain full separation.

With the game hanging in the balance late in regulation, Albany State briefly reclaimed the lead, only for Tuskegee to respond with a clutch three-pointer to force overtime. In the extra period, the Golden Tigers capitalized at the free-throw line and made timely plays down the stretch to secure the 70–65 win.

Albany State was led by balanced efforts across the lineup, with strong rebounding, defensive pressure, and toughness in the paint keeping the Lady Golden Rams within striking distance throughout the contest.

Up Next
Albany State remains on the road as the Lady Golden Rams head to Fort Valley, Ga., for a rivalry matchup against Fort Valley State on Sunday, January 25. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.

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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.