COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (Interstat) — The Alabama State Lady Hornets used a dominant fourth-quarter surge to pull away from the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Lady Golden Lions, securing a 72-59 victory in a Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball tournament quarterfinal on Friday at Gateway Center Arena.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 1,072, was a tightly contested affair for three quarters before Alabama State seized control with a 23-point final period. The win improved the Lady Hornets’ overall record to 17-14, while Arkansas-Pine Bluff concluded its season at 15-16.

Alabama State established an early lead with a strong first quarter, outscoring Pine Bluff 22-13 behind efficient play from guards Ny’Keria Flowers and Caylee Simpson. The Lady Golden Lions responded in the second quarter, mounting a 20-12 run to cut the deficit to just a single point at halftime, trailing 34-33. The comeback was fueled by guard Jasmine Davis and a defensive effort that forced several Alabama State turnovers.

The third quarter saw both teams trade baskets in a defensive struggle, with Alabama State holding a narrow 49-47 edge heading into the final frame. The pivotal shift came as the fourth quarter began. Alabama State’s offense found its rhythm while its defense clamped down, holding Pine Bluff to just 12 points in the quarter. A key sequence saw Alanah Pooler convert an and-one opportunity and Shamya Reid hit two free throws to extend a slim lead to seven points early in the period.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff, reliant on the scoring of Davis and the playmaking of Jailah Pelly, could not counter the Lady Hornets’ balanced attack. Alabama State methodically built its lead through free throws and second-chance points, culminating in a 13-point advantage that would not be challenged in the closing minutes.

Davis, a guard from Little Rock, Arkansas, led all scorers with 17 points for Pine Bluff, adding five assists. Pelly, from St. Louis, contributed 11 points and eight assists in 39 minutes of play. Indiya Bowen added 13 points for the Lady Golden Lions.

Alabama State showcased a more distributed scoring effort. Flowers, a guard from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, led the Lady Hornets with 14 points and five assists. Pooler, a forward from Houston, Texas, provided a crucial 13 points off the bench. Simpson, from Columbus, Georgia, added 12 points, and Amari Franklin of Pensacola, Florida, chipped in 10 points. The Lady Hornets’ depth proved decisive, outscoring Pine Bluff’s bench 23-4.

The most important part of the game was Alabama State’s decisive fourth-quarter performance, which transformed a two-point lead into a comfortable victory. After three quarters of back-and-forth play, the Lady Hornets opened the final period with a 10-2 run, highlighted by Pooler’s three-point play and Reid’s free throws, to establish a nine-point cushion. This burst deflated the Lady Golden Lions’ momentum from their earlier comeback. Alabama State then maintained control by excelling in the game’s final stages, scoring 12 of its final 17 points from the free-throw line while its defense forced key turnovers from Pine Bluff’s primary ball-handlers, Davis and Pelly, in the closing minutes. This combination of timely offense and stifling defense in the clutch was the defining stretch of the contest.

The victory advances Alabama State in the SWAC tournament. Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s season, which included a win over Memphis in November and a recent three-game winning streak, comes to an end.