COLUMBIA, S.C. – The young Wildcats kept grinding and performing well on Saturday successfully. Fort Valley State never trailed, went out to an early lead and held strong in crunch time to post the women's basketball road win over Allen University, 68-58.
After the opening bucket for each team, the Wildcats ran off the next five points capped by a pair of Ayana Cockrell free throws for a 9-2 lead only 5:24 into the game. The visitors' lead grew to as many as 14 points in the first half and went to 15 points early in the third frame on another set of Cockrell free throws, 42-27. Allen battled back to within five points late in the third period and cut the margin to three, 59-56, with 3:57 showing. Amiya Allen, Cockrell and Shekinah Rachel teamed up for two points each in the following 1:30 to push it back to 65-56 with 2:27 remaining.
Rachel recorded her fifth-straight double-double to pace FVSU. The reigning SIAC Player of the Week made 9 of 13 field goals for 19 points to go with 14 rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Coming off the bench, Cori Barnes pumped in 3 of 5 from long range and 4 of 7 attempts overall for 11 points. Cockrell wrapped up with 10 points, three rebounds and three steals. Taylor Addison hit a pair of second-half 3-pointers as part of her 10-point, 4-rebound and 2-steal day. Aaniyah Allen added eight points, six assists, four boards and three steals. Camryn Oneill and Amiya Allen rounded out the day with five points each.
With the victory, FVSU evens its season mark to 7-7 and goes to 6-4 in the SIAC East.
Allen was led by Kash Hankerson's 18 points.
Following a 13-7 first quarter lead, Rachel extended the FVSU margin to double digits for the first time only 12 ticks in the second period, before a Barnes trey made it 21-7. The Wildcats enjoyed three more 10-point advantages (27-17 and 29-19) before they took a 35-23 score to intermission.
Following Aaniyah Allen's jumper with 6:13 in the third frame to make it 44-32, Allen put up the next eight of nine points to cut it to a 45-40 contest. FVSU took a 50-43 lead into the final 10 minutes and Rachel made it 52-43 to start the final quarter before the home push.
FVSU returns to Columbia for a 5:30 p.m. Monday evening, Jan. 22, game at Benedict College.
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