Grambling spoils home opener for Lady Demons

NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State was unable to hold on to its second-half lead on Wednesday night after a late scoring surge from Grambling leading to the 64-59 final in the NSU home opener.

The Demons (0-4) led by as much as 10 points in the third quarter after a scorching end to the first half and held a seven-point edge early in the fourth. The Tigers, behind the post presence of Brenda McKinney, shot 8-for-12 from the field over the final eight minutes of the game to come away with the road victory.

“From the beginning I think it was a game we had the opportunity to get,” head coach Anna Nimz said. “Every time we made a big run we allowed them to make one as well and we didn’t have an answer for No. 10 and No. 15 around the basket. We lost a lot of opportunities down the stretch either on the boards or not being able to contain and we were turnover prone and missed some poise there late in the game.”

Grambling took their first lead of the second half thanks to an 11-3 run over the span of three and a half minutes in the fourth quarter, taking the 55-54 edge on one of their six made field goals in the paint in the period.

The Tigers finished with 36 points in the paint on the night and with 14 of them coming in the fourth quarter.

After surrendering the lead near the five-minute mark of the quarter, the Demons responded behind their defense to even the score three minutes later. Jiselle Woodson stepped in front of an inlet pass for a steal then led the runout the other way for an assist to Karmelah Dean in transition making it a 57-57 game with 2:24 remaining.

A pair of costly turnovers with the Demons down a point in the final minute of the game kept the Demons from regaining the late lead leaving the door open the Tigers to extend the lead to three on a jumper and seal the game with a pair of free throws.

The run of play for the Demons leading up to the final eight to 10 minutes, however, was some of the best of the young season making the final stretch that much more frustrating.

A 9-0 run in the first quarter, thanks to a perfect effort from the free throw line, helped the Demons to a 12-4 first quarter lead. Karmelah Dean went 6-for-6 from the stripe in the quarter and finished the game 8-for-8 to add to her team lead from the line.

Sharna Ayres scored eight points in the first five minutes of the second quarter, putting in a pair of 3-pointers and a long jumper in the span of two minutes to push the Demons ahead 30-27 near the midpoint of the quarter.

She finished the half 4-for-5 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, but was held to just one 3-pointer in the second half to finish with 17 for the game.

Woodson found a cutting Jordan Todd for an easy layup to finish the stellar second quarter where the Demons went 8-for-15 from the field, ended with a 7-0 run, had just three turnovers and held the 37-30 lead.

“We had a lot of great possessions and big time plays where we made the extra pass and get an assist off of it,” Nimz said. “We knocked down some outside shot but at the end of the day you don’t play a 30-minute basketball game. It’s a 40-minute game. That’s what we have to focus on.”

Woodson, Dean and Ayres all finished in double figures for the game. Woodson added six rebounds and five assists for the game. Jenny Ntambwe led the team with eight rebounds adding eight points to her line.