Kalu Leads Women’s Basketball To Victory In MEAC Opener

Box Score

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Senior Ezinne Kalu put up 21 points in a 63-46 rout of Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday, in the Lady Tiger's first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) game of the season.

SSU improves to 7-7 overall and 1-0 in conference. The Lady Hawks fall to 3-10 and 0-2 in the MEAC.

SSU freshman Kenyata Hendrix added nine points for the Lady Tigers, while Jasmine Kirkland put up seven in the win. Freshman Tiyonda Davis led in rebounds with nine. UMES's Ashleigh Claybrooks led her team with 13 points, while Shanyce Stewart led in rebounds with 11.

Both teams struggled to get any offense going in the opening minutes. Hendrix drained a 3-pointer at the 11:57 mark to lift SSU to their first lead of the game, 10-9.

Claybrooks sank a layup to tie the game for the third time (12 all) with 10:28 to play. Kalu responded with a 3-pointer with 9:44 to play, giving SSU a lead they would not relinquish in the first half.

Trailing by seven, 29-22, with 2:30 to play, UMES ended the first half with a 4-0 run behind a 3-pointer and good free-throw from Stewart. SSU led the Lady Hawks 29-26 into the locker room.

Both teams shot poorly from the field in the first half. UMES went 7-for-23 (30.4 percent), while SSU managed a 28.1 percent clip (9-for-32). The Lady Tigers did fare better from beyond the arch, knocking down 7-of-13 offerings (53.8 percent).

The second period proved to be a tighter game. A back and forth game ensued in the opening 10 minutes. At the 10:04 mark, Claybrooks tied the game up for the sixth time with a layup.

SSU then put some space between them and the Lady Hawks with a 15-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from freshman Rhianna Warren at the 3:46 mark.

The massive offensive proved to be too much for the visitors as they managed only three points in the final 10 minutes.
SSU improved their percentage from the field, hitting 14-of-33 attempts (42.4 percent). UMES's shooting dropped to 23.1 percent (6-for-26).

The Lady Tigers hit 10 3-pointers in the contest. Kalu and Hendrix each sank three, while Warren hit two. They outrebounded the Lady Hawks 46-43, and scored 26 points in the paint.

Savannah State continues the 2013-14 season on Monday with a nonconference game against Trinity Baptist. Tipoff is set for 5:45 in Tiger Arena.

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