FORT VALLEY, GA – Senior Briunca Caldwell led for Fort Valley State Wildcats in double digits as the team dropped a 79-71 decision to the Lady Rams of Albany State Saturday night at the HPE Complex.
 
FVSU dropped to 6-14 overall and 5-7 in conference play, while ASU improved to 3-18 overall and 2-9 in the SIAC.
 
Caldwell led the Lady Wildcats with her double-double 16 points and 10 rebounds, while making 6-of-12 shots from the floor and hitting 3-of-4 free throw shots. Senior Shekiya Tarpkins had 13 points, 10 rebounds and Sophomore Daknequa White added 14 points and six boards. Freshman Alicia Franklin hit 12 points. The Lady Rams out rebounded the Lady Wildcats 52-48. FVSU turned the ball over 17 times to ASU's 14. FVSU had 23 points from their bench players.
 
FVSU went to halftime down 34-33. Franklin's 3-pointer put the Lady Wildcats up 24-22 with 8:02 left in the 2^nd quarter. Kayla Green's jumper added to ASU's lead 34-31 with 1:08 on the clock. Caldwell's jumper would send FVSU to halftime down by one.
 
Caldwell scored the first point of the game for FVSU by making the front end of two free throws.  ASU took over from there and went up 13-4, before Whites layup to cut the lead to 16-15. ASU's Elesha Foster's jumper made the score 18-15. Franklin sank two free throws with 26 seconds left in the quarter for FVSU.
 
The Lady rams took over in the third and fourth quarter leading by 17 at the 8:15 mark. FVSU managed to cut that lead to seven twice, once at the 3:42 mark and again with 29 seconds left.
 
Lady Wildcat's next home game is Thursday, February 9, as they host the Lady Panthers of Clark Atlanta University at the HPE Complex. Lady Wildcats start time is scheduled for 6 pm.