MEMPHIS, Tenn.- Nyla Allen's layup at the buzzer proved to be the difference in a key Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference match-up as Savannah State defeated LeMoyne-Owen in overtime by a score of 75-73. The game was played January 4, 2024 in Bruce Hall/Johnson Gymnasium.
 
A free throw by Amari Heard gave SSU a 71-70 lead with 1:01 left in overtime but LeMoyne-Owen's Madison Riley answered with a layup and a free throw with 37 seconds left to give the Magicians a 73-71 edge.
 
After getting fouled by Kamryn  Knight, Allen hit a pair of free throws with 30 seconds remaining to tie the score at 73.
 
LeMoyne-Owen turned the ball over on their possession and SSU took over and Allen's layup gave the Lady Tigers their first win of 2024.
 
The game featured seven ties and seven lead changes.
 
The Magicians led 16-11 after one quarter of play but Savannah State out-scored LeMoyne-Owen 23-15 in the second quarter and took a 34-31 advantage into intermission.
 
LeMoyne-Owen opened the game with a 9-1 spurt as SSU missed their first eight shots from the field. A layup by Heard at the 6:11 mark was the Lady Tigers field field goal.
 
Savannah State trailed by as many as nine in the quarter but finished strong to only trail by five at the end of the first quarter.
 
SSU started the second quarter with a 6-1 run to tie the game at 17.
 
The Magicians stretched their lead to 27-22 with 5:27 left on the clock but Savannah State responded with 12 unanswered point to go ahead 34-27 with 1:41 left.
 
During the run, four different players scored with Ta'Quasia Lampkin and Heard scoring four apiece and Allen and Jaquece Alston adding two points each.
 
LeMoyne-Owen finished the second quarter with four straight points to slice SSU's lead to 34-31 at halftime.
 
With just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, SSU led by six but a layup by Heard and two free throws by Allen gave the Lady Tigers their largest lead of the night at 55-45 with 1:18 showing.
 
Savannah State scored 23 points in the third quarter and led 57-48 going into the fourth quarter.
 
LeMoyne-Owen used a 8-2 run to start the fourth quarter to pull within 59-56.
 
SSU held a 63-58 edge with 1:31 left but the Magicians were not done as Staisha Hamilton hit a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left and a layup with 17 seconds left to tie the game at 63 to force overtime.
 
In the extra period, two free throws by Alston put SSU in front 65-63 but the Magicians countered with five straight point to go ahead 68-65 with 3:10 left.
 
Layups by Allen and Alston gave Savannah State a 69-68 lead with 2:59 remaining but a layup by the Magicians gave LeMoyne-Owen a 70-69 edge.
 
Free throws by Allen and Heard put SSU ahead 71-70 but the Magicians answered with a layup  and a free throw to go back in front 73-71 with 37 seconds remaining.
 
Allen scored the final four points of the game with two free throws and her game-winning buzzer beating layup.
 
Savannah State ended the contest scoring 22 points off of 21 LeMoyne-Owen turnovers and outscoring the Magicians in the paint, 52 to 26.
 
Lampkin and Heard paced the Lady Tigers with a double-double. Lampkin had 19 points and 13 rebounds while Heard contributed 18 points,13 rebounds and four steals.
 
Allen scored 19 points to go with her five rebounds and three assists and Alston chipped in 10 points and five rebounds.
 
Mya Byrd had seven points for the Lady Tigers and Jashiyah Jones scored two points.
 
Riley had a game-high 20 points for LeMoyne-Owen (5-5, 4-3 SIAC).
 
Savannah State (6-3, 4-2 SIAC) will continue its Western Division road trip at Lane on January 6, in search of their fourth straight win. Tip off is 2 p.m. CST