AVALON, Miss. (Interstat) — In a game defined by offensive struggles and a decisive fourth-quarter surge, the Mississippi Valley State Devilettes defeated the Texas Southern Lady Tigers 78-64 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at the LeFlore County Civic Center.

A crowd of 1,112 saw the Devilettes, who entered the game with a 5-19 record, outscore the Lady Tigers 25-12 in the final period to pull away for their sixth win of the season. Texas Southern fell to 9-18.

The most important part of the game unfolded in the fourth quarter, where Mississippi Valley State transformed a narrow 53-52 lead into a comfortable victory. After Texas Southern’s Taliyah Logwood hit a turnaround jumper to cut the Devilettes’ lead to one point with 7:38 remaining, Mississippi Valley State responded with a critical 8-0 run over the next two minutes. The spurt was fueled by interior play, including a layup from Desiree Smith and a jump shot from Ja’la Douglas, pushing the lead to 61-52 and forcing a Texas Southern timeout.

Texas Southern, which shot just 36.9 percent from the field and a dismal 47.8 percent from the free-throw line, could not mount a response. The Lady Tigers went scoreless for over three minutes during the Devilettes’ key run and never recovered, as Mississippi Valley State continued to attack the basket and convert at the foul line down the stretch.

The game was a stark contrast in efficiency. While both teams had nearly identical field goal percentages, Mississippi Valley State’s significant advantage at the free-throw line proved decisive. The Devilettes attempted 38 free throws, making 22, compared to Texas Southern’s 11-for-23 performance from the stripe. Mississippi Valley State also capitalized on second chances, grabbing 20 offensive rebounds that led to 15 second-chance points.

Jaeda Murphy led Mississippi Valley State with 22 points, four rebounds and five assists, continuing her strong play after a 33-minute, 11-point performance in a win over Prairie View earlier in the week. She was supported by a balanced effort that saw Sydnei Marshall record 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Janiya Jones added 13 points and eight rebounds. Desiree Smith just missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.

For Texas Southern, the offense ran almost exclusively through Taliyah Logwood, who delivered a game-high 33 points and nine rebounds. However, she received little consistent support. Malaya LeSueur was the only other Lady Tiger to reach double figures, contributing six points and six rebounds. The team managed only seven assists on 24 made baskets.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with Mississippi Valley State taking a 34-32 lead into halftime. The Devilettes maintained a slim edge through the third quarter, leading 53-52, before their dominant fourth-quarter performance sealed the game.

The victory avenged a 72-62 home loss to Texas Southern on Jan. 8 for Mississippi Valley State. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Texas Southern entered the contest with a 54.7 percent probability to win.

Mississippi Valley State will travel to face Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Feb. 28. Texas Southern returns home to host Alcorn State on Feb. 26.