HOUSTON – Daimoni Dorsey and Asianae Nicholson combined for 20 points Thursday evening, as Bethune-Cookman Women's Basketball came up just short in an upset bid away to Texas Southern in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play inside Health & Physical Education Arena in Houston.
 

FIRST QUARTER
Texas Southern (11-10, 10-0 SWAC) remained undefeated in league play after opening a seven-point lead after the opening quarter. The homestanding Tigers shot 58.3 percent from the field to open the game, using a 6-for-8 touch at the free throw line.
 
Bethune-Cookman (7-15, 4-6 SWAC) fell behind by as much as nine in the opening stanza when TSU's Aylasia Fantroy – one of the Tigers leading scorers on the campaign, knifed to the basket to put her side up 21-12 with just over one minute remaining. B-CU answered before the end of the period with Kayla Clark driving to the hole for a layup, but she was unable to convert the three-point play at the foul line after drawing the foul on Fantroy.
 
TSU led 21-14 after the opening 10 minutes.
 
Aaliyah Henderson and TSU leading scorer on the season Courtlyn Loudermill each finished perfect from the floor in the quarter, adding five points apiece.
 
SECOND QUARTER
The B-CU defense stepped up in the second period, limiting the Tigers to just 3 of 12 shooting, as the visiting Wildcats connected on 6 of 21 shots on their own end of the court. The Cats trailed 23-14 after Deivejon Harris' jumper outside the paint.
 
B-CU then embarked upon a 14-0 run, beginning with Daimoni Dorsey's slash to the basket for her only bucket of the period. Freshman guard Jordan Brooks would score the next four points for the Maroon and Gold, adding a pair at the charity stripe, before classmate Janessa Kelley's three-pointer from the wing tied the game at 23-23 with 6:13 remaining in the quarter.
 
Chanelle McDonald extended the B-CU lead at 28-23 when she converted the old-fashioned three-point play. TSU's Henderson ended the run with a pair of free throws. But it was a Kelley jumper from the elbow that put the Maroon and Gold lead back up to 30-25.
 
Henderson would finish with four points in the quarter for the hosts, as the teams went to the locker room tied at 30 at the break.
 
THIRD QUARTER
There was little to separate the two teams in the third quarter as Texas Southern held a slim 48-47 heading into the final period.
 
B-CU's McDonald finished the third quarter 2-for-3 from the field. And it was Asianae Nicholson, the SWAC's leader in double-doubles, chipping in with five points and three rebounds for the Cats. Camerah Langston and Dorsey also amassed four points each for the Wildcats.
 
TSU looked towards Fantroy with seven points in the quarter, as the Tigers recorded three (3) three-pointers in the period. Daeja Holmes combined with Fantroy and Loudermill, respectfully, to lift the Tigers' shooting from long range.
 
FOURTH QUARTER
Nicholson put back her own miss to bring her side within 54-50 with 5:07 left on the clock, before Henderson drove to the basket for a layup – and teammate Holmes connected on her second three-pointer of the night to advance the Tigers lead, 59-50.
 
McDonald and Nicholson tried to bring B-CU back to within striking distance, but a pair of Jaida Belton free throws iced the game late, allowing the hosts to extend their winning streak at 10 games.
                                

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Henderson led all players with 15 points for TSU, while Fantroy (13) and Loudermill (11) also reached double-digits. Treasure Thompson controlled the boards for the Tigers with a team-high nine rebounds.
 
Bethune-Cookman was led offensively by Dorsey and Nicholson with 10 points each, as the latter topped B-CU with 10 rebounds for her 13th double-double of the campaign. McDonald had nine points and six boards, while Langston provided nine points and a blocked shot of her own.
 

Bethune-Cookman stays in the "Lone Star State" with a visit to SWAC opponent Prairie View A&M on Saturday, Feb. 8, with tip-off slated for 3 p.m. ET.
 
Follow Bethune-Cookman Women's Basketball on X/Twitter (@BCUWBB) and Instagram (@BCU_WBB) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUAthletics), Instagram (@BCU_Athletics) and BCUathletics.com.