SAVANNAH, Ga. – Freshman center Alexxus Sowell recorded her first career double-double with 13 rebounds and 11 points and added six blocks as the Savannah State University women's basketball team (3-17, 1-8 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) fell to South Carolina State University (8-13, 3-6 MEAC) 71-60 in Tiger Arena to start a four-game homestand.
 
Sowell shot 50.0 (5-for-10) percent from the floor, while junior forward Kaylee Allen recorded a team-high 26 points on 8-for-19 shooting from the floor and added five rebounds and freshman forward Kayla Vance added six points and four rebounds.
 
Savannah State scored the five of the first seven points to take a three-point lead, 5-2, with 9:01 remaining in the first quarter, but South Carolina State scored the next five points to take a two-point lead, 7-5, with 6:49 left.  The Lady Tigers scored 10 of the next 16 points to take a four-point lead, 15-11, with 2:42 remaining, but the Bulldogs scored the final five points of the quarter to take a point lead, 16-15, after the first quarter.
 
The Lady Tigers scored the first four points of the second quarter to take a three-point, 19-16, with 8:43 remaining in the quarter, but South Carolina State scored the next eight points to take a three-point lead, 22-19, with 6:48 left.  Savannah State scored 15 of the final 24 points to take a three-point halftime lead, 34-31.
 
Savannah State scored three of the first five points to increase the lead to four points, 37-33, with 9:26 remaining in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs scored 11 of the next 12 points to take a six-point lead, 44-38, with 5:25 left.  The Lady Tigers scored the next five points to cut the lead to a point, 44-43, with 2:37 remaining, but South Carolina State scored 10 of the final 13 points of the quarter to take an eight-point lead, 54-46, after the third quarter.
 
South Carolina State scored six of the first 10 points to increase its lead to 10 points, 58-48, with 8:18 remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Lady Tigers scored six of the next eight points to cut the lead to six points, 60-54, with 6:15 left.  SCSU scored 11 of the final 17 points for the 11 point win.
 
The Bulldogs were led by Bryeasha Blair with 27 points, six rebounds and five steals, Kemoni Jenkins with 14 points and five rebounds and Ester Udonsi with seven points and seven rebounds.
 
The Lady Tigers continue homestand with the final nonconference game of the season against Allen University Monday at 7 p.m. in Tiger Arena.
 
Newspaper Box Score
South Carolina State vs Savannah State
02/03/18 4 p.m. at Savannah, Ga. (Tiger Arena)
At Savannah, Ga. (Tiger Arena)
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE 71, SAVANNAH STATE 60
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE (8-13, 3-6 MEAC)
BLAIR,Bryeasha 8-19 8-8 27; JENKINS,Kemoni 7-13 0-0 14; UDONSI,Esther 3-8
0-0 7; WATSON,Kerry 3-5 1-4 7; LEWIS,Kyesha 2-4 0-0 6; MURRAY,Jaquanna 1-2
2-4 4; WILLIAMS,Jasmine 1-3 1-2 3; WILLIAMS,Chantel 1-6 1-1 3; BELL,Kira 0-0
0-0 0. Totals 26-60 13-19 71.
SAVANNAH STATE (3-17, 1-8 MEAC)
ALLEN,Kaylee 8-19 5-6 26; SOWELL,Alexxus 5-10 1-2 11; VANCE,Kayla 3-5 0-0 6;
BARTLETT,Jazmine 2-7 0-1 4; RUSSELL,Praise 1-2 0-0 3; ANDERSON,Jacqueline
1-4 0-0 3; JOHNSON,Teyah 1-4 0-0 3; MOTON,Heniaya 1-4 0-0 2;
GALLISHAW,Sabree 1-2 0-0 2; FARMER,Nadia 0-0 0-0 0; Williams,Cortney 0-0 0-0
0. Totals 23-57 6-9 60.
South Carolina State..........   16   15   23   17  -   71
Savannah State................   15   19   12   14  -   60
3-point goals--South Carolina State 6-14 (BLAIR,Bryeasha 3-7; LEWIS,Kyesha
2-3; UDONSI,Esther 1-3; WILLIAMS,Chantel 0-1), Savannah State 8-22
(ALLEN,Kaylee 5-11; JOHNSON,Teyah 1-4; ANDERSON,Jacqueline 1-4;
RUSSELL,Praise 1-1; MOTON,Heniaya 0-1; BARTLETT,Jazmine 0-1). Fouled
out--South Carolina State-None, Savannah State-BARTLETT,Jazmine;
MOTON,Heniaya. Rebounds--South Carolina State 32 (UDONSI,Esther 7), Savannah
State 40 (SOWELL,Alexxus 13). Assists--South Carolina State 14
(WILLIAMS,Chantel 4), Savannah State 13 (MOTON,Heniaya 6). Total
fouls--South Carolina State 8, Savannah State 23. Technical fouls--South
Carolina State-None, Savannah State-None. A-1106
 
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