Box Score

PINE BLUFF, Ark.-The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff's Lady Lions finally got the large monkey off of their back Saturday evening.
 
Finishing just shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds, freshman forward Jazmyne Victorian led the Lady Lions to their first victory of the season, a 69-52 win over visiting Texas Southern at H.O. Clemmons Arena.
 
“I feel okay,” Victorian said. “I feel that I made mistakes and that I can get better. I'm trying to step up more and play a bigger role for the team like I know I can.”
 
In a game featuring the two last place teams in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, UAPB (1-24, 1-13 SWAC) and Texas Southern (4-20, 2-11 SWAC) seemed evenly matched on both ends of the court early on. Texas Southern had a large number of their shot attempts rim in and out to go with bad ball handling, and the Lady Lions capitalized.
 
“It's remarkable. It's a feeling I can't explain right now” UAPB coach Cary Shelton said. The win also marked the tenth of his career as head coach of the Lady Lions.
 
The Lady Lions had their best shooting performance of the season Saturday, shooting 42 percent from the field and 41 percent from beyond the arc.
 
“That's what we've been wanting all along,” Shelton said. “It's been a burden all season long, and we're glad that we were able to overcome it and shoot the ball really well tonight.”
 
Lakendra Marsh had a game-high 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting for UAPB, knocking down four of her six three-point attempts. Victorian scored a three-pointer of her own and a lay-up as the Lady Lions raced to an early lead. She finished the first half with nine points, taking attention and pressure off of star forward Chigozianyi Okwumabua.
 
“It's long overdue,” Victorian said. “I know that we're capable of winning. We've been working hard every day at practice, and some of us have been going extra to get to the point that we're at. I'm trying hard to be more versatile and be more of a threat to my opponents.”
 
“Jazmyne's a very good player, and we knew all along she could play,” Okwumabua said. “She's stepping up at the right time of the season.”
 
“She was the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in her school history, so she had to understand coaching and adjustments,” said Shelton of Victorian's maturation process. “When she understood that, she accepted her role, and it's getting easier (for her).”
 
Victorian also had a strong presence early on the defensive end, blocking two shots and controlling the paint. Her quick hands caused several turnovers and helped generate fast-break opportunities.
 
Okwumabua worked well on the wing for UAPB, showing a combination of great ball-handling skills and low-post moves. The junior forward posted 13 points to go with seven rebounds and five assists.
 
In the first half, the team shot a combined 48.1percent from the field, and also out-rebounded the Lady Tigers 20-15.
 
As the Lady Lions embraced their momentum in the second half, their defensive pressure became more intense. UAPB forced 15 turnovers in the period and 27 overall. Shelton said the game came down to execution on the defensive side of the ball.
 
“I told the girls, “We can't gamble, we've got to contain our opponent for 40 minutes,” Shelton said.
 
The Lady Lions play again at 5:30 pm on Monday evening against Prarie View A&M at H.O. Clemmons Arena.