JACKSON, Miss. – Texas Southern University's Lady Tigers overcame an 11-point second-half deficit Monday to claim a 66-63 win at Jackson State.
Kaitlyn Palmer scored a team-high 16 points, while Joyce Kennerson chipped in 15 points – including 11 after halftime to lift the visiting Lady Tigers to their first win away from home in more than a month.
Texas Southern (15-8) improved to 9-3 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play, and remained one-half game behind first-place Grambling State in the SWAC standings. The loss dropped Jackson State (8-15) to 2-11 in SWAC play, 1.5 games out of the eighth and final berth into the Toyota SWAC Tournament.
The Lady Tigers return home for their next two contests, starting with a Saturday meeting with Arkansas–Pine Bluff. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• A 10-0 run over a two-minute stretch midway through the third quarter gave Jackson State a 46-35 advantage with 4:18 left to play in the period.
• The visiting Lady Tigers fought back when Shamiya Brooks scored three unanswered layups to cut JSU's advantage to 46-41 with 56 seconds remaining in the quarter. Brooks scored a total of nine points on 4-of-5 shooting off the TSU bench.
• TSU made it a one-possession game several times in the final quarter before claiming its first lead of the half on an Artavia Ford jumper with 3:56 remaining in the game; Ford scored 12 points Monday.
• After JSU's Maria Conyers-Jordan knocked down a pair of free throws to reclaim a one-point lead for the home team, Texas Southern scored the next eight points over the following two minutes, giving TSU a 64-57 lead with 31 seconds left to play. Kennerson scored six points and Brooks added a basket during the run.
• Jackson State would cut TSU's lead to two points on a 3-pointer by Derica Wiggins, but not until there were only three seconds left in the game. TSU iced the game at free throw line.
KEY POINTS:
• Texas Southern won its 13th consecutive game over Jackson State dating back to 2012.
• Houston's Lady Tigers won for the second time this season when shooting less than 60 percent from the free throw line. Both such wins were over Jackson State.
• TSU outrebounded Jackson State – the top rebounding team in the SWAC 45-35.
• TSU's Johnetta Hayes-Perry improved to 10-0 against Jackson State as a head coach.
