LORMAN, Miss. (Interstat) — A dominant third-quarter surge fueled by Maya Claytor propelled the Alcorn State Lady Braves to a 66-57 victory over the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in a Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at the Davey Whitney Complex.

Claytor, a 5-foot-6 guard from Wahiawa, Hawaii, scored a game-high 22 points, including 12 in the decisive third period, to lead the Lady Braves. Her performance, which included four assists, was the catalyst for Alcorn State overcoming a halftime deficit to seize control of the contest before an announced crowd of 407.

Bethune-Cookman, which entered the game having won two of its last three, started strongly. The Wildcats built a 33-26 lead by halftime, paced by guard Madison Holden of Reseda, California, who finished with 17 points, five rebounds and two assists. The Wildcats shot efficiently in the first half, but the game turned dramatically after the break.

Alcorn State opened the third quarter with a 14-2 run, flipping a seven-point deficit into a five-point lead. The Lady Braves’ defensive pressure was pivotal, forcing eight Bethune-Cookman turnovers in the quarter which they converted into 10 points. Claytor hit two of her four 3-pointers during this stretch, and the Lady Braves outscored the Wildcats 22-14 in the period to take a 48-47 lead into the final quarter.

The most important part of the game was this third-quarter blitz, where Alcorn State’s offensive execution and defensive tenacity overwhelmed the Wildcats. The Lady Braves extended their lead in the fourth quarter, capitalizing on Bethune-Cookman’s continued ball-handling struggles. For the game, Alcorn State forced 21 turnovers, converting them into 23 points, while committing only nine turnovers themselves. The Lady Braves also held a significant advantage at the free-throw line, making 18 of 25 attempts compared to Bethune-Cookman’s 7-of-14 shooting.

Alcorn State’s Kiarra Henderson of Fort Worth, Texas, provided crucial support with 11 points, eight rebounds and a game-high four steals. Nakia Cheatham of Clarksdale, Mississippi, filled the stat sheet with six points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals. Chrishunti Walker of Oakland, Tennessee, added 13 points off the bench.

For Bethune-Cookman, Daimoni Dorsey of Baltimore contributed 11 points, while Sanai Tyler of Chicago grabbed nine rebounds. The Wildcats’ offense was hampered by its inability to sustain possession, managing only four assists against the 21 turnovers.

With the win, Alcorn State improved to 13-10 overall and strengthened its position in the SWAC. Bethune-Cookman fell to 6-20. The victory completed a regular-season sweep for the Lady Braves, who also defeated the Wildcats 56-51 on Jan. 22.

Alcorn State, which was projected with an 89.9% probability to win by Interstat’s ELO system, will host Jackson State next Saturday. Bethune-Cookman returns home to face Alabama State on Thursday.