PINE BLUFF, Ark. – It was Kayla Clark ripping down 19 rebounds and scoring a team-high tying 14 points alongside O'Mariyah Tucker on Monday evening as Bethune-Cookman defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 73-70 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) women's basketball contest inside H.O. Clemmons Arena.
 
In one of the most anticipated women's basketball games thus far in the SWAC season, Bethune-Cookman never trailed on the night. In fact, the game was only tied on one occasion early-on in the first quarter.
 
BCU (12-6, 3-2 SWAC) led 24-15 after the opening quarter on the strength of a 10-2 run kicked off by a Chanel Wilson three-pointer from the right elbow. Wilson later added a putback layup off a Daimoni Dorsey missed layup, followed just moments later by an O'Mariyah Tucker three-pointer from the top of the key. Another Tucker turnaround jumper just outside the paint extended the Wildcats lead at 18-9.
 
Kerrighan Dunn went to work for the Maroon and Gold in the second quarter, putting in five points – including a basket from beyond the arc, while teammate and center Kayla Clark scored six of her team-high matching 14 points in the period.
 
The Wildcats would take a 37-30 lead into the locker room at the half on the strength of shooting 36.6 percent from the field as a team, and limiting Zaay Green, one the league's most explosive scorers for Arkansas-Pine Bluff, to just five (5) first half points, as she was saddled with two early fouls.
 
UAPB (8-10, 3-2 SWAC) would cut the lead down to one at 47-46 with three minutes remaining in the third quarter.
 
Maori Davenport picked off a BCU pass and raced to the bucket for a layup, while outside shooting threat Demetria Shephard connected on one of her two three-pointers on the night in what was a 9-2 Golden Lions run.
 
Green added six points for the hosts in the period.
 
But it would be Karianna Woods driving in for two of her 12 points on the night – eventually completing the three-point play at the foul line, to put BCU's lead at 53-46. Clark's putback layup off a Tucker missed free throw extended the lead at 58-48 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
BCU dominated the boards with a 56-48 advantage, as well as a 24-12 edge in second chance points.
 
With the Cats up 71-63 after a Dorsey three-pointer with 1:34 remaining in the game, UAPB's duo of Green and center Maya Peat answered for the Golden Lions to bring their side to within 72-67 with 17 seconds remaining in regulation. Woods converted a free throw to put BCU up six, before Coriah Beck nailed a three-pointer with nine seconds left.
 
A BCU turnover with seven seconds remaining was followed by a Woods steal to seal the win for the visitors, giving BCU its first-ever win in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
 
UAPB was led on the night by Green with 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Peat turned in 11 points and Beck finished in double-digits with 10.
 
Clark finished the game with a team-high knotting 14 points and game-high 19 rebounds, while teammate Tucker had 14 points of her own. Dunn tallied 13 points in the game and handed out four assists. Meanwhile, Woods finished with 12 points, three assists and two steals for the visitors.
 
Bethune-Cookman next hosts the SWAC's top team in the form of Jackson State on Saturday, Jan. 27, inside Moore Gymnasium at 2 p.m.
 
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