BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The brillant career of Tuskegee University senior Rachel Brownlee ended with a 67-61 loss by the Tigerettes to Fort Valley State University in the opening round of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Tournament Tuesday. 

The two teams traded baskets early in the contest, with both teams starting slow as they combined for just nine baskets in the opening 10 minutes. The quarter ended with Tuskegee clinging to a one-point lead, 16-15.

The two teams traded the lead six times and had five ties in the second stanza, with Kayla Howard pouring in eight points. Brownlee and Jade Wilson each added seven points, while Shekiya Tarpkins finished the first half with 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting for Fort Valley State. Tuskegee was able to hold off Fort Valley State in the second quarter and took a 3-30 lead at the intermission.

Brownlee led Tuskegee wih 11 points in the third quarter, pushing Tuskegee to a 51-43 lead heading into the fourth quarter with a victory in sight over the final 10 minutes.

However, Fort Valley State was able to come back in the second half, overcoming as a much as a 10-point deficit to move on to the next round of the tournament.

Tarpkins led all scorers with 33 points for Fort Valley State, while Brownlee led Tuskegee with 21. The loss brought an end to the careers of Brownlee and Jesslyn Mahone for Tuskegee.