Trojans Hold Panthers to 32 Points in Dominant Win

LITTLE ROCK – The Little Rock women's basketball team had a banner day on defense, allowing just 9 points to Georgia State in the first half.
 
That was good enough to tie a program record for fewest points allowed in a half, and that defensive effort led the Trojans to a 59-32 victory over the Panthers at the Jack Stephens Center on Saturday evening.
 
Georgia State (8-11, 3-7 Sun Belt Conference) made just 3 of its 18 field goal attempts in the first half and committed 14 turnovers in the frame, and Little Rock (8-11, 6-4) held a 27-9 lead at the break. The Trojans cruised from there, never letter their lead dip below 16 for the rest of the night.
 
Little Rock, now on a three-game winning streak for the first time all season, got a game-high 17 points from Shanity James. James just missed a double-double with nine rebounds. Her frontcourt teammate Kaitlyn Pratt did get that double-double, putting down 10 points and grabbing a team-best 12 rebounds. Sharde' Collins also scored in double figures with 12
 
During the game, Shanity James also took sole possession of first place all-time at Little Rock in offensive rebounds. The senior now has 287 in her career, surpassing Eplunus Brooks' 283.
 
Though her scoring touch was missing in the game, Alexius Dawn tied a career high with nine assists to help the Trojans rack up points.
 
Georgia State, meanwhile, could not get anything going on offense. The Panthers finished the game shooting 26.1 percent from the field (12 of 46) and were 0 of 6 from 3-point range. They also shot just 47.1 percent from the free throw line (8 of 17) on their way to putting up the smallest point total of any Trojan opponent this year.
 
Saturday marked the fewest points Little Rock had given up in a game since allowing 30 to New Orleans in the Sun Belt Tournament quarterfinal on Feb. 28, 2007. The 9 points Georgia State scored in the first half tied the Little Rock record for fewest points allowed in a half previously also set in that same New Orleans game in 2007.
 
This victory marked the team's fifth straight win against the Panthers and fourth straight at the Jack Stephens Center.
 
Collins opened the game by sinking a floater from the free-throw line, and Pratt added 2 more points on free throw on Little Rock's next possession. James hit a layup to make it 6-0, and then neither team scored for three minutes. When the next bucket went in, it was a 3-pointer for Collins that gave Little Rock a 9-0 lead at the first media timeout.
 
Little Rock would extend that lead to 13-0 before the Panthers finally scored, and 5 points from Collins helped the Trojans to a 13-4 lead at the end of the first quarter.
 
The Trojans' offense sputtered to start the second quarter, but it closed on a hot streak. Collins nailed a 3-pointer with four seconds left in the period, capping a run where Little Rock made its last four field goals before the break.
 
The second half saw more of the same, with Georgia State's offense able to put up 23 points but the Trojans bettering that with 32.
 
Little Rock ended the night with 28 points in the paint and 14 points on second chances. The Trojans scored 18 points off 18 Georgia State turnovers.
 
Collins finished the game tying a career high with 7 rebounds. Monique Townson had 8 points in the game and led Little Rock with three steals. James had the team's only block of the night.
 
The Trojans remain at home for their next two games, as they will face their conference rivals from Alabama in the Jack Stephens Center next. First up is a Thursday-night contest against Troy scheduled for 5:15.