JCSU’s Comeback Bid Falls Short in 74-67 Loss at Virginia State

By K.C. CULLER

JCSU SID

Ettrick, Va. (Jan. 10, 2018) – The Johnson C. Smith University women’s basketball team erased a 20-point halftime deficit and took the lead on several occasions in the fourth quarter but was unable to complete the comeback, falling at No. 6 Virginia State, 74-67 at the VSU Multipurpose Center on Wednesday night.

In the first quarter, the Golden Bulls jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead after a pair of Jasmine Carter (Dacula, Ga.) baskets along with a layup from Kendall Adams (Opelika, Ala.) at the 8:39 mark.

Virginia State would rally to tie the game at 6-6 and then stretch the lead to as many as eight points (16-8) following a pair Chrisanna Green free throws with 2:38 remaining in the opening quarter. JCSU would get a Monique Hall (Melbourne, Fla.) basket but VSU ended the quarter with a three-pointer from Alexis Smith to lead 19-10 at the end of the first.

The Trojans kept pouring it on the second, bolting to a 14-point lead following a Keyana Brown basket that made it 24-10 at the 8:14 mark. After JCSU cut it to 31-20, VSU embarked on a 10-1 run to close the quarter, capped by a D’Ajahnae Smith layup to make it 41-21 at halftime.

In the third quarter, JCSU began the comeback. The Golden Bulls started on a 10-4 run to cut the deficit to 45-33 after Maiya Green (San Antonio, Tex.) knocked down a free throw with 5:18 left. JCSU kept chipping away, cutting the lead to 52-45 and then 56-50 at the end of the quarter on a three-pointer from Malia Rivers (Pageland, S.C.).

Rivers then started the fourth quarter with another triple from the corner, bringing the Golden Bulls to within 56-53. Two Carter free throws would trim the lead to just a single point at 56-55 and then the Golden Bulls took their first lead since the opening basket when senior Asha Jordan (Monroe, N.C.) got a layup to drop with 7:49 to go. VSU would then jump ahead again by three points (60-57) but JCSU again went on a four-point spurt to gain the 61-60 lead with just 4:02 to play.

The teams then swapped the lead five times over the next minute of play until Monique Hall drove and got a layup to fall, tying the game at 67-67 with 1:01 on the clock.

On the next VSU possession Chrisanna Green gave the Trojans the lead for good at 69-67. VSU then held JCSU scoreless the rest of the way and hit 5-of-6 free throws in the closing seconds to take the 74-67 win.

Jasmine Carter led all JCSU scorers and secured a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Kendall Adams finished with 14 points and Monique Hall had 10 points in the loss, which drops the Golden Bulls to 10-5 overall and 2-2 in CIAA play.

Virginia State improves to 15-0 and 5-0 in league play. Alexis Smith led the Trojans with 22 points while Green captured the double-double with 17 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.