EVANSVILLE, Ind. –
Jordan Holman delivered a dominant all-around performance, but Little Rock's late comeback effort came up just short as the Trojans fell to Southeast Missouri State, 68-65, Wednesday afternoon at the Ford Center in the opening round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
Little Rock closes the season with a 15-16 overall record and an 11-9 mark in OVC play.
Holman led the Trojans with 26 points and 17 rebounds, while also adding four steals and going 9-of-13 from the free throw line. The senior nearly recorded a triple-double as she powered Little Rock's second-half rally.
Her three-year career comes to an end as an All-OVC First Team selection and 1,000-point scorer.
"I thought I would be sadder, but I am fine," Holman said. "I am good. We did a good job as a team coming back. We did a good job getting back in the game."
The Redhawks established control early, building an 18-11 lead after the first quarter. Holman scored five points in the opening period, including a three-pointer, while
Destinee Salgado added four points on a pair of layups. Southeast Missouri capitalized on several Trojan turnovers, with Ainaya Williams converting a late layup and Lexi McCully connecting from beyond the arc to help extend the advantage.
Southeast Missouri pushed the margin further in the second quarter, outscoring Little Rock 20-12 to take a 38-23 halftime lead.
Little Rock responded with its strongest stretch of the game in the third quarter. The Trojans tightened defensively and surged offensively, outscoring Southeast Missouri 23-7 to erase the halftime deficit and take the lead.
Alaina Payne tied the game with a pair of free throws with 2:39 remaining in the quarter, and Holman followed moments later with two free throws of her own to give Little Rock its first lead since early in the game. Holman added a layup with 1:44 left as the Trojans closed the quarter with momentum and carried a 46-45 lead into the final period.
The fourth quarter remained tight throughout as both teams traded baskets.
Blessing Teamer hit a fast-break jumper and
Jarahle Daniels knocked down a three-pointer to keep the Trojans in front early in the period.
Holman continued to impact the game on both ends, scoring a key jumper to tie the game at 59-59 while controlling the boards defensively.
Southeast Missouri, however, made the decisive plays in the closing minutes. Carmen Taylor converted a late layup and Kearra Jones added key free throws to give the Redhawks a narrow lead in the final seconds.
Holman came up with a late steal to give Little Rock one final opportunity, but the Trojans were unable to convert before the final horn.
"You have to give Southeast Missouri State a lot of credit for winning the game, but give our kids a lot of credit for coming back and getting back in the game," Little Rock assistant coach
Bobby Brasel said. "I am proud of our team for making the comeback and being in the game late."
Behind Holman's standout night, Salgado finished with 11 points and nine rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double of her own. Payne added eight points while going a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line, while also grabbing six rebounds with two assists.
•••
For the latest information on Little Rock Women's Basketball, visit
LRTrojans.com and follow @LittleRockWBB on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Get the latest Trojan news — including the weekly Trojan Report - delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for Little Rock Trojan E-News.
#LittleRocksTeam | #RockSolid
