SAVANNAH, Ga.- Playing their first conference game of the season, the Savannah State University women's basketball team outscored Kentucky State University in the second and third quarters but would fall to the Thorobreds 82-75 in a game played in Tiger Arena on November 25, 2023.
 
It was Savannah State's first setback of the season, after opening with two victories.
 
The opening quarter went back and forth. Down 18-15, SSU's Nya Allen hit back-to-back jumpers to give the Lady Tigers a 19-18 edge with 2:13 remaining in the quarter.
 
KSU responded by finishing the quarter with nine unanswered points top go ahead 27-19.
 
Savannah State started the second quarter strong with a 3-pointer by Myasia Jones followed by a layup and a 3-pointer by Allen to tie the game at 27 with 7:30 showing on the clock.
 
With the contest knotted at 32, the Thorobreds put together a 10-2 spurt to go ahead 42-34 with 1:34 left before halftime.
 
Trailing by eight with 47 seconds on the clock, Mya Byrd hit three free throws for SSU to send the Lady Tigers into intermission trailing by five at 44-39.
 
Early in the third quarter, Savannah State found themselves down by nine but whittled away at their deficit and a jumper by Allen at the 3:41 mark trimmed KSU's lead to 55-53.
 
With a minute and a half left in the quarter and Kentucky State holding a seven point advantage, the Lady Tigers finished the quarter with five straight points with Jacquece Alston making three free throws and Amani Hamilton making a layup to slice the KSU lead to 62-60.
 
A three-point play (layup and a free throw) by Hamilton to open the fourth quarter gave SSU a 63-62 lead but Kentucky State answered with a 11-2 run to go ahead 73-65 with 6:20 remaining.
 
Not to be outdone, the Lady Tigers responded with a 7-2 spurt as Amari Heard hit three throws, Talia Hamilton hitting a jumper and Allen making two free throws to draw them as close as 75-72 with 3:09 left.
 
KSU scored seven of the final ten points to secure their seven point victory.
 
Heard fouled out of the game for Savannah State but before she left, she had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Allen had 17 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals while Byrd, who also fouled out, chipped in 13 points, six assists, two blocks and two steals.
 
Amani Hamilton had seven points and six rebounds and Ta'Quasia Lampkin had six points, nine rebounds and three blocks. 
 
Rounding out the SSU scoring were Myasia Jones (6), Jashiyah Jones (3), Alston (3) and Talia Hamilton (2).
 
SSU shot 53.9 percent from the floor in the third quarter but slipped to make just 4 of 14 shots from the field in the final quarter. The Lady Tigers finished the game shooting 40.6 percent from the field, 41.7 percent from beyond the arc and 78.3 percent from the free throw line.
 
Kentucky State was led by Gracen Kerr who had a game-high 28 points. The Thorobreds improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Southern Intercollegiate Conference.
 
Savannah State (2-1, 0-1 SIAC) will play again on November 27 when they host Central State University at 5:30 p.m. in Tiger Arena.