MARTIN, Tenn. - The Little Rock women's basketball team couldn't find the lead until it counted Thursday night at UT-Martin. The Trojans took their first lead, 51-50, with 8:23 to play left in regulation. They took their final one with 2:25 remaining in the game.
Trojans guard
Faith Lee led all scorers with 26 points making 10 of 11 free throws and two big three-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Jordan Holman added 14 points and
Emerald Parker chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds.
Little Rock forced 20 turnovers and made 16 of its 19 free throws to preserve the win.
The Trojans trailed 50-46 heading into the final stanza. Lexi Rubel's two free throws gave UT Martin a 56-61 lead with 7:24 to play in the game. The Skyhawks led by five at the 5:56 mark, but that's when the Trojans made their run.
Lee immediately hit her first three-pointer cutting the lead to 58-56 with 5:31 left. The UT Martin lead grew back to four with just over three minutes to play, but Lee struck again with another triple and the lead was 60-59.
A few minutes later, the Trojans took the lead for good on two Holman free throws. Little Rock held UT Martin scoreless for most of the final three minutes, which allowed them to not only keep the lead but extend it.
Lee hit one of two free throws to give the Trojans a slim, 62-60, advantage. Moments later, Holman took a loose ball on the fast break all the way to the basket to extend the margin to 64-60 with 53 seconds remaining.
UTM cut it back to three, but Lee hit two free throws with 20 seconds left to ice the win.
Anaya Brown led UT Martin with 16 points. Melbourne, Ark., native Kenley McCarn added 12 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
Little Rock trailed 15-10 after one period and by as many as 11 in the second. However, a 9-0 run over the final 1:10 of the first half cut the UT Martin halftime lead to 32-31.
The Trojans made the score 21-16 with a
Mesi Triplett bucket in the paint with 6:03 to play. The Skyhawks moved the lead back to seven on the next possession.
Triplett cut the cushion to three with 4:50 left with another short bucket, but then McCarn drilled a three-pointer to push the lead to six.
UT Martin looked primed to take control of the game, but the Trojans exploded offensively in the final 90 seconds.
Annemarie Batista came off the bench in the second quarter and scored five quick points. Her three-pointer that rattled around the basket and in cut the lead to 32-29 with 30 seconds left.
Lee capped off the frantic run with an acrobatic drive to the basket with six seconds left that made the halftime score 32-31.
