Box Score ETTRICK, VA – Virginia State women's basketball team defeated WAU, 69-53, late Tuesday evening. After allowing the Lady Shock to win the first quarter, the Trojans outscored WAU, 54-32 in the final three quarters of play. VSU forced 28 turnovers and 15 steals in the contest while also drawing 19 fouls. The win moves the Trojans overall record to 10-8 on the season.
Natalia Leaks posted her fifth 20-point game of the season after scoring a game-high 20 points and five assists while also accounting for five rebounds on 7-of-12 shooting from the field.
Kaaliya Williams (13),
Valerie Samuel (11) and
Shayla Sweeney (10) combined for 34 points against the Lady Shock. Williams tallied four rebounds while Samuel ended with five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Sweeney added five rebounds to her respective stat line as well.
Sommer Blakemore wreaked havoc every time the Lady Shock put the ball on the floor as she tied the conference-high with seven steals. Blakemore stuffed her stat sheet as she went for eight points, four rebounds and three assists.
Azhane Bacot grabbed a career/game-high 11 rebounds along with a steal and block. The Trojans drew 19 fouls which led to 31 free throws. VSU also tied their season-high with 20 offensive boards in the evening contest.
How It Happened
- After the Trojans were able to score six straight points to hold a slim three-point lead, the Lady Shock were able to string together enough points to tie the game at 13 with 5:01 left to go in the first quarter.
- WAU would go on a heater prior to the end of the first quarter mounting a 8-2 run to make the score, 21-15, in favor of the Lady Shock at the end of the first quarter.
- While the Lady Shock scored the first and last buckets of the second quarter, the Trojans held WAU scoreless through almost the entire quarter while scoring 22 unanswered points.
- The Trojans outscored the Lady Shock, 22-4, in the second quarter to take to take a, 37-25, lead into the locker room at the half.
- The first quarter saw the Lady Shock shoot 50% (9-of-18) from the field and outrebound the Trojans 11-8. While the Trojans shot poorly from the field (5-of-14), they accounted for four steals in the and forced four fouls. The Trojans built a wall around the rim of the Lady Shock in the second quarter forcing them to shoot 1-of-11 from the field. The Trojans also piled up a whopping 10 steals in the second quarter as well. VSU would also force seven fouls in the second quarter which led to nine free throw attempts while WAU only shot two.
- As the Trojans were just four points away from pushing their lead to 20 points, the Lady Shock was able to fight back to bring the score to 41-30 with 5:47 left to go in the third quarter.
- Through the final five minutes of third quarter, Kaaliya Williams scored five points which allowed the Trojans make the score, 51-37, heading into the final quarter of play.
- The Trojans were able to extend their lead to, 63-45, five minutes into the fourth quarter with 5:07 left in the game.
- VSU had no problems closing the game out through the final five minutes of the contest, 69-53, to earn the win in the contest.
Inside the Box Score
- The Trojans accounted for 15 steals and forced 28 turnovers
- VSU grabbed 20 offensive boards while outrebounding the Lady Shock, 47-29.
- The Trojans forced WAU to shoot 1-of-11 from the field while outrebounding them, 17-8, in the second quarter.
Up Next
The Trojans will stay in Maryland to take on Bowie State University Thursday, January 27 prior to the men's game at 5:30 p.m.
