AMERICUS, Ga. – The Wildcats had the momentum but saw it slip away. Fort Valley State tied the contest with under seven minutes, but host Georgia Southwestern nine of the next 10 points and edged out a victory, 74-65, in women's basketball.
Aaniyah Allen buried a trey for a 60-60 tie contest at 6:48 left. Following a FVSU timeout, Ga. Southwestern hit back-to-back buckets and another a second pair wrapped around a visiting free throw for a quick 69-61 lead. Taylor Addison pumped in a Wildcat 3-pointer at 1:04 for a 71-65 margin, but her team could get no closer.
FVSU now heads to the Christmas week break at 3-6. Ga. Southwestern went to 5-4 and outrebound its foe, 44-31, on Thursday.
With a season high, Kimora Wade netted 16 points, 12 of them in the first quarter, on 6 of 8 shooting and six rebounds. Marley Bell made 5 of 11 shots for 11 points on the inside to go with five rebounds, an assist and a block.
Off the bench, Allen drained a trio of 3-pointers of her 13 points. Both Camryn Oneill and Addison each scored seven points and grabbed three boards with Oneill handing out two assists and Addison stealing two balls.
Cori Barnes added five points and two assists, while Ja'Nya Ferguson chipped in four points and two assists. Arieonna Booker rounded out the effort with five rebounds, two points and two assists.
Leading the Hurricane effort, Ndidiamaka Ndukwe paced all scorers with 22 points.
Tied at 7-7 only three minutes into the day, Ga. Southwestern ran off the next eight points for a 15-7 lead. Wade helped FVSU battle back with a pair of 3-point plays, a jumper and one foul shot as she had nine-straight points and the Wildcats slid to the lead, 20-18, on a 13-3 spurt.
With it largest lead of the first half of four points at intermission, the Wildcats and Hurricane traded punches for the first six minutes. Following a pair of free throws by Oneill and Ferguson, FVSU held a 45-41 advantage. The Hurricane, though, put the next nine point on the board and went back ahead, 50-45.
In the early fourth period, the Wildcats pulled ahead by a point, 55-54, on a Bell tip-in at 8:45 and she did it again moments later, 57-56. Ga. Southwestern put in two buckets in a row, before Allen's tying 3-pointer at 60-60.
FVSU will now be off for its 10-day break until it hosts Shorter University on Tuesday, Dec. 31, in a 2 p.m. start.
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