NATCHITOCHES, LA ? Demetria White scored a lay-up with 12 seconds to go for the winning basket in an 85-82 Northwestern State women's basketball victory over Sam Houston State Wednesday.
Ray Alexander, who scored 18 points for Sam Houston, tied the contest for the sixth time with a free throw with 30 seconds remaining to make the score 82-82. After White's lay-in gave the Demons an 84-82 lead, Alexander missed a field goal. Jessica McPhail rebounded the miss and was fouled.
McPhail made one free throw to give the Demons a three point lead and Alexander missed a three at the buzzer.
Whitney Smith led Sam Houston with 19 points. Brittany Brooks added 12 and Britni Martin scored 11.
Despite the loss, Sam Houston (8-20, SLC 5-10) still has one last opportunity to earn a berth in the Southland Conference post-season tournament in Katy March 11-14 if the Kats can defeat Texas State-San Marcos Sunday in both team's final regular season game. SHSU has not earned a Southland playoff berth since 2004.
McPhiel led Northwestern State (17-11, SLC 9-6) with 14 points.
The lead in the contest changed hands 14 times. Northwestern State's biggest lead was 11 points in the first half. Sam Houston led by four points with four minutes remaining in the contest.
NORTHWESTERN STATE 85, SAM HOUSTON ST 82
3-4-09 6:30 at Natchitoches, La. (Prather Coliseum)
SAM HOUSTON ST (8-20 (5-10))
Smith, Whitney 6-11 7-8 19; Alexander, Ray 7-12 3-5 18; Brooks, Brittany
5-12 2-2 12; Martin, Britni 3-12 3-4 11; Echols, Khamra 2-5 4-6 8; Hager,
Therese 3-5 0-0 6; Agnew, Bre 2-4 0-0 4; Ailshie, Leasa 2-7 0-0 4;
Livingston, Lucy 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-69 19-25 82.
NORTHWESTERN STATE (17-11 (9-6))
McPhail, Jessica 4-10 5-6 14; Williams, Anna Cate 5-13 1-1 12; Shepherd,
Brooke 4-6 0-0 12; White, Demetria 5-11 1-3 11; Givens, Akilah 3-10 2-2 10;
Kinlaw, Britany 4-11 2-4 10; Greene, Lyndzee 4-8 1-1 9; Houston, Brittiany
3-7 0-0 6; Knox, Dorothy 0-2 1-2 1; Edwards, Renotta 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 32-82
13-19 85.
Sam Houston St................ 33 49 - 82
Northwestern State............ 39 46 - 85
3-point goals--Sam Houston St 3-22 (Martin, Britni 2-8; Alexander, Ray 1-3;
Agnew, Bre 0-2; Ailshie, Leasa 0-5; Brooks, Brittany 0-4), Northwestern
State 8-23 (Shepherd, Brooke 4-5; Givens, Akilah 2-3; Williams, Anna Cate
1-2; McPhail, Jessica 1-5; Houston, Brittiany 0-3; Edwards, Renotta 0-3;
Greene, Lyndzee 0-1; White, Demetria 0-1). Fouled out--Sam Houston St-None,
Northwestern State-None. Rebounds--Sam Houston St 48 (Smith, Whitney 15),
Northwestern State 48 (Kinlaw, Britany 10). Assists--Sam Houston St 14
(Echols, Khamra 4; Smith, Whitney 4), Northwestern State 15 (White, Demetria
7). Total fouls--Sam Houston St 16, Northwestern State 18. Technical
fouls--Sam Houston St-None, Northwestern State-None. A-722
