FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Wildcats could not take advantage of another big game from Shekinah Rachel on Saturday. Fort Valley State set the tone for the first 20 minutes, but it was not enough to hold off Savannah State in the final moments of a 66-59 women's basketball final.

After leading by as many as nine points (41-32) with 1:58 left in the third period, FVSU (5-7/4-4 SIAC East) saw the margin trimmed to a point, 43-42, by the end of the quarter. Savannah State (9-3) tied the contest at 52 with 4:52 on the clock before Rachel pushed FVSU back on top with a 3-point play, 55-52. The Lady Tigers netted the next two buckets to edge ahead, 56-55, and they saw the home team commit six turnovers and have only an Aaniyah Allen jumper with 2:39 left, which made it 57-56 Wildcats. Savannah State posted the final 10 of 12 points for the comeback win.

Rachel connected on 12 of 16 from the floor for a season-high 28 points, her third 20-point game in a row, and 12 rebounds, third-straight and fourth in five games with a double-double. The senior forward also had two steals, an assist and a block on her day.

Allen was the lone other doube-figure FVSU scorer with 12 points to go with 11 rebounds for her first double-double, while she had three assists and a steal. Taylor Addison and Ayana Cockrell both added five points apiece.

The Lady Tigers received 23 points from Amari Heard to lead their effort.

Starting the contest, FVSU put the first nine tallies on the scoreboard following an Allen trey and layup. Rachel put the difference into double digits for the first time at 16-5 later in the opening period. The home Wildcats extended the advantage to 22-9 with the second period's first six points. The FVSU lead grew to 14 points twice, 28-14 and 32-18, before it enjoyed a 32-20 score at half.

Savannah State burst out of the half with a 10-1 run to make it a 33-30 home lead in the first 4:22. FVSU answered with its own 8-2 spurt to push it back to 41-32 before the visitors recorded their second run of 10-2 to trail by only one, 43-42, heading into the final 10 minutes.

FVSU will aim to rebound on Monday afternoon, Jan. 15, in a 3 p.m. tip-off against Edward Waters.

-Wildcats-