LORMAN, Miss. (Interstat) — Jaileyah Cotton posted 14 points and 15 rebounds as the Jackson State Lady Tigers outlasted the Alcorn State Lady Braves 52-49 in overtime in a Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Davey Whitney Complex. Jackson State led by five at halftime but needed a late push to force the extra period, where it outscored Alcorn State 10-7. Nakia Cheatham led Alcorn State with 19 points and 13 rebounds in the loss. Both teams struggled offensively, with Jackson State shooting 30% from the floor and Alcorn State shooting 28.6%. The Lady Tigers secured the win despite committing 19 turnovers, aided by 13 steals. Jackson State improved to 9-17, while Alcorn State fell to 13-11. Attendance was 733.

LORMAN, Miss. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined more by grit than grace, the Jackson State Lady Tigers avenged an earlier loss to their biggest rival by outlasting the Alcorn State Lady Braves 52-49 in overtime Saturday in a Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball game at the Davey Whitney Complex. The game, witnessed by 733 fans, saw both teams endure prolonged offensive droughts, but Jackson State made just enough plays in the extra period to secure a critical road victory. The win improved Jackson State’s record to 9-17 overall, while Alcorn State fell to 13-11. The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the final minute of overtime with the score tied at 44. Jackson State’s Angel Wilkinson, who had struggled from the field all afternoon, drained a crucial three-point jump shot with 1:05 remaining to give the Lady Tigers a lead they would not relinquish. On the ensuing possession, Wilkinson came up with a steal, one of her game-high five, setting up teammate Derrica McCall. McCall was fouled and calmly sank both free throws to push the lead to five with 10 seconds left. Alcorn State’s Nakia Cheatham answered with a three-pointer of her own with just three seconds on the clock to cut the deficit to two, but Jackson State successfully inbounded the ball to run out the clock. The game was a rematch of a Jan. 3 meeting won by Alcorn State 49-45, and this contest followed a similar, tense script. Neither team shot above 30 percent from the field, with Jackson State finishing at 30 percent on 18-of-60 shooting and Alcorn State at 28.6 percent on 16-of-56. Three-point shooting was particularly brutal, as the Lady Braves hit only 3 of 23 attempts. The battle was instead won with defense, rebounding, and key individual efforts. Jackson State’s Jaileyah Cotton, a 5-foot-6 guard from Bardstown, Kentucky, delivered a monumental performance, playing all 45 minutes and recording a double-double with 14 points and a career-high 15 rebounds. She added three assists, a block and three steals, anchoring her team on both ends. For Alcorn State, Nakia Cheatham of Clarksdale, Mississippi, was equally formidable, matching Cotton’s minute total and posting a game-high 19 points to go with 13 rebounds. Kiarra Henderson of Fort Worth, Texas, provided eight points, eight rebounds, five assists and two blocks in 40 minutes for the Lady Braves. Jackson State led 24-19 at halftime but watched Alcorn State surge ahead with a 16-point third quarter. The Lady Braves took a 35-31 lead into the fourth. Both teams managed only seven points each in the final regulation period, with Alcorn State’s Lauren Nelson tying the game at 42 on a layup with 40 seconds left. Jackson State had two shots to win it in the final seconds but could not convert, sending the game to overtime tied. In the extra period, Jackson State’s offense finally found a slight rhythm, scoring 10 points, with Cotton hitting a three-pointer and Wilkinson providing the decisive shot. The Lady Tigers dominated the glass with a 46-38 rebounding edge and collected 13 steals, which helped offset their 19 turnovers. Pierre-Noelle Tcheuhchoua of Omaha, Nebraska, provided a vital interior presence for Jackson State with a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds. Mikayla Brown of Dallas added 11 points off the bench. For Alcorn State, Chrishunti Walker of Oakland, Tennessee, contributed six points and seven rebounds, while Nelson finished with eight points. The victory snapped a two-game skid for Jackson State in the series and provided a significant boost as the SWAC schedule enters its final stretch. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Alcorn State had entered the game with a 75.3 percent probability to win. Both teams continue conference play on the road Thursday. Jackson State travels to face Prairie View, while Alcorn State visits Texas Southern.

Preview: Jackson State Lady Tigers at Alcorn State Lady Braves LORMAN, Miss. (Interstat) — A Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball rivalry will be renewed Saturday when the Alcorn State Lady Braves host the Jackson State Lady Tigers at the Davey Whitney Complex. The Lady Braves (13-10 overall) enter with the stronger record and recent form, having won five of their last seven games. They are coming off a 66-57 home victory over Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 14, led by a 22-point performance from guard Maya Claytor. Claytor has been a consistent offensive catalyst, averaging 11.7 points per game over her last seven contests. Jackson State (8-17) looks to build momentum after snapping a two-game skid with a 60-52 win over Florida A&M on Feb. 14. In that victory, guard Jaileyah Cotton erupted for 21 points. Cotton leads the Lady Tigers’ backcourt, averaging 12.1 points per game over the same seven-game stretch. This matchup marks the second meeting between the teams this season. Alcorn State won the first contest 49-45 in Jackson on Jan. 3, in a defensive struggle indicative of the rivalry’s intensity. For Alcorn State, success hinges on Claytor’s scoring and the supporting play of Nakia Cheatham, who posted 6 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists in the last outing. The Lady Braves have found a rhythm at home, winning three straight in Lorman. Jackson State will rely heavily on Cotton’s ability to create offense, but will need more consistent contributions to improve upon a 2-5 record over its last seven games. The Lady Tigers’ defense, which held Florida A&M to 52 points, will be tested by a more balanced Alcorn attack. The game tips off at 3 p.m. CST Saturday. Alcorn State currently sits in the upper half of the SWAC standings, while Jackson State seeks a critical conference road win to improve its positioning ahead of the league tournament next month.