Box Score Box Score

MONTICELLO, Ark. – Ahead by one point with 12 seconds remaining in the game, Henderson State's Shareka Maner nailed a clutch three-pointer to help the Lady Reddies secure a 51-50 conference win over the University of Arkansas-Monticello on the road on Thursday night in the Steelman Fieldhouse.
 
Maner's late-game trifeta was a part of a second half shooting turnaround by the Lady Reddies (4-2, 2-1 GAC) that saw them better their first half shooting percentage by 16.5% en route to a second half shooting percentage of 47.8% (11-of-23). Included in that higher percentage was an elevated success rate from beyond the arch as they connected on 4-of-10 (40%) in the second half compared to just 2-of-10 (20%) in the first half.
 
The Cotton Blossoms (2-5, 0-3 GAC) were more efficient in the first half as they shot 43% (9-of-21) from the floor in the half. Despite that efficiency, the game would be tied heading into the break at 25-all thanks, in part, to the Lady Reddies taking 11 more shots in the half.
 
Through the first six minutes of the second half the lead would change hands four times with neither team leading by more than four points during that stretch. The final lead change of the game came with 14:26 remaining on the clock as Destiny Smith put the Lady Reddies ahead by two points, 34-32, on a made layup. Another Smith layup on the Lady Reddies' next possession extend their lead to four points, but the Cotton Blossoms would mount a quick 4-0 run to knot the game at 36-all with 11:01 to go.
 
That score would remain until the 9:48 mark when Aungelique Sledge buried a three-pointer. Moments later a three-pointer by Sheay Longstaff and another layup by Smith pushed the Lady Reddies' lead to its largest of the game, eight points. 
 
Trailing by five points with two minutes left in the game, the Cotton Blossoms were able to pull to within a point, 48-47, with just 40 seconds left in the game. After Maner hit her clutch three-pointer to put the Lady Reddies up by four points, Longstaff was whistled for a foul with 2 seconds remaining in the game. UAM's Raija McWright made good on the first of her free throw attempts and then missed her second attempt. On the miss, the Cotton Blossoms came down with the rebound and layed in an easy two points as time expired to shave the Lady Reddies' margin of victory down to one point, 51-50.
 
The leading scorers for the Lady Reddies would be Destiny Smith and Jill Temples as the two ended the game in double figures. Smith would lead the team with 15 points while Temples scored 11 points. Sheay Longstaff and Shareka Maner would each add nine points of their own. Smith would also lead the way with 13 rebounds as she recorded her third double-double of the season.
 
The Lady Reddies will remain on the road in conference play as they take on Southern Arkansas on Saturday, December 8th in Magnolia, Ark. Tip-off for that game is set for 2:00 pm.