Lady Bears fall to Region XXIII Opponent the Copiah Lincoln Lady Wolves

Monday, December 9, 2024: Women's Basketball
Baton Rouge, LA

The Baton Rouge Lady Bears faced off against the Copiah Lincoln Lady Wolves this evening in the Bears Den. The Lady Bears aimed to extend their winning streak while halting the Lady Wolves' impressive six-game winning streak. Unfortunately, the Lady Wolves used a strong 21-point fourth quarter to defeat Baton Rouge, 77-68.

The first quarter featured a closely contested and exciting game. At the midway point of the quarter, the Lady Wolves held a slim one-point lead over the Lady Bears, 11-10, with 5:13 remaining. The Lady Bears regained the lead with a jumper from Akiyah Carnes at 4:25, making it 12-11. The lead changed hands several times over the next two minutes before the Copiah Lincoln Lady Wolves converted two free throws, kicking off a 9-4 mini-run that closed the quarter with a 23-19 advantage.

The Lady Bears quickly jumped back in the second quarter, tying the game at 27 with five minutes left before halftime on two free throws by Shelcie LeBlanc. The Lady Wolves responded with a mini-run fueled by Kaylee Johnson and Kamaiyah Pruitt, taking a six-point lead, 36-30, with 3:22 remaining. The Lady Bears found a spark off the bench and regained a 39-38 lead when Frandreka Keller hit a jumper with 19.7 seconds left. The Lady Wolves quickly tied the game again at 39, as Angel Wilkinson was fouled on a drive and converted one of her two free throw attempts. Just before the buzzer, sophomore guard Keaira Gross hit a three-pointer, giving the Lady Bears momentum and a 42-39 lead at halftime.

The third quarter was another evenly matched contest. The game went back and forth, with the Lady Wolves taking a slim 56-54 lead heading into the final quarter, having outscored the Lady Bears 17 to 12 in that period.

In the fourth quarter, the Lady Bears struggled to overcome the deficit. They managed to pull within two points with two minutes left, but the Lady Wolves finished strong, going on a 9-2 run to close the game and secure the 77-68 victory.

 Shelcie LeBlanc and J'nyria Kelly led the Lady Bears with 14 points, while Angel Wilkinson scored 20 points and Kamaiyah Pruitt added 19 points to lead the Lady Wolves. With this loss, the Lady Bears fall to 4-4, while the Lady Wolves improve to 9-3 for the season. Copiah Lincoln now leads the all-time series with 18 wins and 3 losses against Baton Rouge.

Lady Bears Highlights
 Shelcie LeBlanc and J'nyria Kelly led the Lady Bears with 14 points.
 Akiyah Carnes scored 8 points, with 6 rebounds.

The Lady Bears will take time off for semester finals and the holiday break. They will return to the court in the New Year on Saturday, January 4, 2024, at the Bonne Sante Wellness Center, with the tip-off scheduled for 2 PM.

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