TUSKEGEE, Ala. – Fort Valley State Lady Wildcats basketball team dropped their second straight conference contest to Western Division foe Tuskegee 71-66 Saturday afternoon in Tuskegee.  
 
The Lady Wildcats dropped to 6-13 on the year and 5-6 in SIAC competition. Tuskegee improved to 8-12 overall and 4-7 in conference play.
 
"We didn't lose the game; we gave it away." FVSU head coach Lonnie Bartley said. "We knew what we had to do heading into this game, but we let them play the way they wanted."
 
Nola Carter started the scoring for FVSU, followed by several lead changes. Jade Wilson gave Tuskegee an 11-8 advantage, but senior center Briunca Caldwell went to the free throw line and made 1-of-2 shots to give FVSU a 14-13 lead. Senior forward Shekiya Tarpkins jumper made the score 18-13, then White's layup improved the lead by six. Tuskegee's Rachel Brownlee jumper would send Tuskegee to halftime up 33-28.
 
Junior point guard Daknequa White's layup tied the game at 38-38 in the third quarter and later Alicia Franklin's 3-pointer increased FVSU's score to 51-46. Tuskegee took a 53-52 lead on Jade Wilson layup at the buzzer to end the quarter.   
 
White's game-high 18 points led the Lady Wildcats offensively, while making 6-of-17 shots from the field, going 5-of-8 at the foul line, four boards, one assist and three steals. Tarpkins followed with 16 points, four rebounds and Caldwell added 16 points and six rebounds.
 
Jade Wilson scored 16 points to lead Tuskegee and Rachel Brownlee had nine boards and 12 points.
 
Fort Valley State shot 48.1 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from behind the arc and 65.2 percent at the free throw line. The Lady Wildcats out rebounded Tuskegee 44-42.
 
The Lady Wildcats will travel to Fairfield, Ala., on Monday, January, 30 to take on Mile College in a 5:30 pm (CST) contest.