DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman erased a late seven-point deficit to Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Monday evening to win a thrilling Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Women's Basketball game by a score of 63-61 inside Richard V. Moore Gymnasium. With the victory, BCU has now won back-to-back games and sits tied for second place in the standings.
 
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-12, 2-4 SWAC) led 61-54 after a pair of Tia Morgan free throws with 1:50 remaining in the fourth quarter.
 
Moments later, Bethune-Cookman (5-10, 4-1 SWAC) nailed a three-pointer while drawing the foul that kick-started another memorable Moore Gymnasium moment for the ages.
 
Chanel Wilson rose up over UAPB's Jelissa Reese, drew the foul and sunk the three-pointer from the top of the key with 1:11 showing on the clock. Despite missing the free throw, Morgan Beacham would collect the rebound off a missed jumper on the Golden Lions end of the court, while then proceeding to take it coast to coast for the layup and bring the Maroon and Gold to within 61-59 with 13 seconds remaining.
 
After a UAPB timeout, playmaker Coriah Beck's pass was intercepted by BCU's D'Shantae Edwards, as she went the distance in converting the layup and drawing the foul to advance to the charity stripe  with the game knotted at 61-all and nine second left in regulation.
 
Edwards converted the free throw to put the Cats in front for the first time since the early stages of the fourth quarter at 62-61.
 
The visiting Golden Lions would get another chance to try and snatch the win, but Morgan's pass was stolen by BCU's Beacham, who was then fouled by Maya Peat. Beacham, a 5-foot-6 guard from Orlando, Florida, converted 1-of-2 at the foul line to extend the Maroon and Gold lead at 63-61. UAPB was unable to put together a true look at the basket for a possible winning play down the stretch before the buzzer.
 
Everything seemed to favor the visitors as the Golden Lions shot 46.2 percent from beyond the arc, as well as 90 percent from the foul line. However, Bethune-Cookman would use its guard play to drive into the paint and draw fouls against the Golden Lions, as the Cats toed the line 36 times on the night. BCU converted 23 of those attempts, respectfully.
 
Arkansas-Pine Bluff led by the slimmest of margins at the half, 26-25.
 
In the third quarter, the Cats outscored the Golden Lions by an 18-12 margin.
 
Edwards poured in seven points in the third period, while Beacham and Wilson added four points apiece for the Wildcats, allowing BCU a 43-38 advantage heading into the final period.
 
A quick 6-0 run to start the final quarter, headlined by Reese and Kourtney Rittenberry, put the visitors up 44-43 less than two minutes in. A Morgan old-fashioned three-point play extended the Golden Lions' lead at 51-47 with 5:56 left. But Kayla White's three-pointer chipped into the lead before Reese answered with consecutive baskets to put her side up 55-50 at the under-five media timeout.
 
In fact, UAPB led by seven previously in the quarter when Peat turned around for a jumper in the paint, allowing her side a 57-50 lead with exactly four minutes remaining.
 
The Golden Lions were led in scoring on the night by Coriah Beck with 16 points, followed by teammate Tia Morgan with 15 points before fouling out late in the contest.
 
Bethune-Cookman was paced by Chanel Wilson's 16-point effort, adding four rebounds and two assists. It was Beacham finishing with 13 points and four rebounds, while Edwards ended the game with 11 points and three steals.
 
The Cats return to action next weekend when the Maroon and Gold travel to league-leaders Jackson State on Saturday, Jan. 21, in Jackson, Mississippi. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CT.
 
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