AUSTIN, Texas – The Stillman College women's basketball team saw a large fourth-quarter lead evaporate as the Huston-Tillotson University Rams rallied to capture a 53-51 win over the Tigers Friday night on the first day of the Tiffany Jackson HBCU Classic in Branch Gymnasium.

Stillman falls to 2-2 on the season, while the Rams improve to 2-1 on the year. 

Rapid Recap:

HTU jumped out to an early 9-4 lead after a free throw from Xaria Culver with 4:24 on the first quarter clock. Stillman battled back to even the score at 10-10 when Jordan Harris splashed a jump shot at the 1:58 mark, and then took the lead at 1:32 after a free throw from Tanyah Lockhart moved the score to 11-10. Destiny Stanford posted a free throw with four seconds left to take a 14-13 lead after a quarter for HTU.

In the second, the Tigers took control after a Minter free throw tied the game at 19-19, and free throws from Harris moved the score to 21-19 with 4:07 left. Lockhart later hit a layup to put Stillman on top 27-19 with 56 seconds remaining, and Tenyzia Lathan solidified the eight-point lead heading to half with a layup to move the tally to 29-21 with 10 seconds to go. 

Minter put the Tigers ahead by 11 points with 7:40 to go as Stillman took a 34-23 lead. The Tigers maintained a double-digit lead. However, Wilashia Burleson hit a layup to bring the score within seven at 34-27 with 5:03, but dual threes from Minter, with a Cameria Reed and a Lathan layup, pushed the lead to 15 with 2:29 until the fourth with a score of 44-29. Culver hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 13 and give Stillman a 44-31 advantage after three quarters. 

The Rams stormed back in the fourth, led by Destinny Sranford, who scored nine points of the 15-2 run to draw even with Stillman 46-46 with 5:54 to go. Serese Williams hit a jumper with 2:15 to go to give HTU a 50-48 lead, but Reed responded with a three-pointer at the 1:01 mark to recapture the lead for Stillman at 51-50. Undaunted, the Rams came right back and took a 52-51 advantage with 31 seconds left after a Burleson jumper. A free throw from Stanford sealed the game at 53-51 for the Rams.


Notes and Numbers:

-Jaida Minter turned in her first double-double of the season with 20 points and 15 rebounds. The senior from Dallas, Texas, added three assists and a steal. 
-Tanyah Lockhart led with four steals, while Cameria Reed added three steals. 
-The Tigers dominated on the board and out-rebounded HTU 52-38.
-Despite both institutions being members of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference, the game does not count in the HBCUAC standings, with HTU being in the west division and Stillman being in the east division.

Up Next:

Stillman College prepares for the second day of the Tiffany Jackson HBCU Classic with a matchup against the University of the Virgin Islands in a non-conference contest at 1 p.m.