GRAMBLING, La. – Daimoni Dorsey scored a career-high 19 points Saturday afternoon as Bethune-Cookman defeated Grambling State 70-52 in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Women's Basketball play inside Frederick C. Hobdy Assembly Center.
 

FIRST QUARTER
Bethune-Cookman (4-11, 1-2 SWAC) dominated the opening quarter building a commanding 23-8 lead through the first 10 minutes of play. The Wildcats set the tone early, with Jordan Brooks scoring the game's first basket on a layup assisted by Janessa Kelley. After Grambling State's Douthsine Prien three-point play briefly gave the Tigers their only lead of the game, Bethune-Cookman took control with a suffocating defensive effort that held GSU to just 12.5 percent shooting from the field in the period.
 
Kelley provided an offensive spark for the Wildcats, connecting on two (2) three-pointers en route to six first quarter points. Kayla Clark was a force on both ends, grabbing eight rebounds (five offensive) while contributing six points, including a putback layup that pushed the lead to 15 points at the 3:31 mark.
 
The Grambling State (4-10, 1-2) offense struggled mightily, missing 21 of their 24 shot attempts in the quarter. The Tigers' managed just eight points, with Prien's four points leading the way. GSU committed six turnovers and struggled to generate clean looks against Bethune-Cookman's defense, which recorded five blocked shots.
 
SECOND QUARTER
With B-CU leading 23-8 entering the second quarter, Lydia Freeman made an early impact for Grambling, scoring a layup off an assist from Halima Salat to cut the Wildcats lead at 23-10. However, the Cats' Kayla White responded with a layup to extend their lead back to 15 points. The teams traded baskets, with B-CU maintaining their double-digit advantage throughout most of the stanza.
 
GSU's Kahia Warmsley hit a fast-break pull-up jumper at the 7:50 mark. However, it would be Dorsey quickly answering on the other end with a jumper to extend the lead back to 18 points, 30-12.
 
Despite committing eight turnovers in the period, B-CU was able to shoot 46.2 percent from the field with five points coming from Baltimore, Maryland native Dorsey, including a three-pointer. The Cats scored eight points in the paint to preserve a 37-27 halftime lead.
 
THIRD QUARTER
Bethune-Cookman extended its lead over Grambling State in the third quarter, outscoring the Tigers 20-13 to take a 57-40 advantage into the final period. The Wildcats' defensive pressure stifled Grambling's offense throughout the quarter, holding the Tigers to just 15.8 percent shooting (3-of-19) from the field. Bethune-Cookman's Asianae Nicholson led the quarter's scoring with eight points, including a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line, while also collecting three of her 12 rebounds on the day.
 
Despite trailing by double digits for most of the period, GSU ran off a 6-0 run midway through the quarter that cut the deficit to six points, 39-33 – the closest the game had been since the opening period. The run was sparked by 15 offensive boards in the period for the Tigers. However, the visitors quickly regained control behind the play of Dorsey, finishing the quarter 2-for-2 from the field, including a crucial three-pointer, contributing six points to help maintain the advantage for B-CU.
 
The quarter's defining sequence came in its final minute when Bethune-Cookman's Nicholson converted both free throws on a fast break opportunity, pushing the lead to its largest margin of 17 points at 57-40. Kayla Clark dominated the glass for the Wildcats, pulling down four rebounds, including three off the offensive glass. The Tigers struggled from the free-throw line, converting just 7 of 16 attempts in the period, while Bethune-Cookman countered by hitting on 6 of 8 from the stripe.
 
FOURTH QUARTER
The Wildcats' lead swelled to as many as 24 points in the fourth quarter with 7:37 remaining in the contest.
 
The Wildcats outscored the Tigers 13-12 in the period, using a 4-for-6 touch at the free throw line. Dorsey and Nicholson combined for eight points in the frame, while Kelley hit on her third three-pointer of the contest.
                                

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Both teams struggled with ball security, as Grambling committed 19 turnovers while Bethune-Cookman had 22. The Tigers controlled the glass, pulling down 34 offensive rebounds, but converted those opportunities into just 19 second-chance points.
 
GSU was led in scoring with 11 points each from Alyssa Phillip, Prien and Freeman, respectively. Phillip added 10 rebounds to complete her double-double.
 
B-CU received the career-high day from Dorsey with 19 points, followed in double figures by Nicholson (17) and Kelley (11). Clark's season-high 18 rebounds led the boards for the Maroon and Gold. And Nicholson completed her eighth double-double of the year – her second in as many games, by pulling in 12 rebounds. Brooks dished out five assists, while White also contributed five assists of her own despite struggling from the field (1-for-8).
 


Bethune-Cookman returns home to Richard V. Moore Gymnasium for the first time in what will be 47 days when the Cats host SWAC opponent Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m.
 
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