Today’s Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball game between Alabama State and Southern University is between two familiar foes whose two previous games have gone down to the wire, with Alabama State University winning. The Hornets were looking to beat the Lady Jaguars for a third time, and things didn’t turn out as they expected.
The Lady Jaguars established a 22-point lead at the end of the first half of the game, scoring 13 fast-break points, shooting 67% from behind the three-point line, and holding the Lady Hornets to 8 second-chance points. Despite everything going the Lady Jaguars way, the Lady Hornets Shamaya Reid scored the team’s first three-pointer late in the third quarter. Alabama State made 3 of 21 behind the three-point line, shooting 14%, and as a team, they made 17 out of 26 baskets, shooting 28% for the game.
The Lady Hornets used their defense to cut the Lady Jaguars’ 22-point halftime lead to 10 points, forcing 4 turnovers and grabbing 4 defensive rebounds, putting themselves in position to get back in the game. Alabama State Caylee Simpson’s early scoring in the third quarter started the charge for the Hornets’ brief comeback in the third quarter scoring 9 out of the first 11 points in the quarter for her team. Caylee Simpson was the leading scorer for Alabama State University with 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Shemaya Reid also scored double figures for the Lady Hornets, adding 10 points and 2 rebounds.
Read More: Alabama State Triumphs Over Arkansas Pine-Bluff: 72-59 Win
The Lady Jaguars recovered from Alabama State’s early third-quarter surge and pushed their lead back to 17 points for the remainder of the game. Southern University shot 54% from behind the three-point line for the game, which helped them maintain their lead. Southern University’s ability to grab 27 defensive rebounds, holding Alabama State to only 1 shot opportunities, which turned into 21 fast-break points, kept the Jaguars generating more points in the game. The Lady Jaguars had four players who scored double digits. Zaria Hurston led all scorers on the team with 13 points, grabbing 3 rebounds. Olivia Delancy scored 12 points, D’Shante Edwards scored 11 points and grabbed 4 rebounds, and Jocelyn Tate scored 10 points with 8 rebounds.
The Lady Jaguars are the 2025-2026 SWAC Women’s Basketball Champions, beating Alabama State 73-56. The Lady Jaguars are back-to-back SWAC Champions and have won the last three out of five. Southern University will wait to find out who they will play in the NCAA Women’s tournament.
