TUSKEGEE, Ala. – Tuskegee's women's basketball team ended their five-game losing streak with a hard-fought 56-49 victory over Allen University on Saturday afternoon in the final game of the calendar year.
The Golden Tigers' win put their overall record at 4-7 and 1-3 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).
Tuskegee overcame a competitive battle at the Daniel "Chappie" James Center to edge out the Yellow Jackets and earn their first SIAC victory of the season.
The game was tightly contested from start to finish. In the first half, both teams struggled with shooting, but Allen managed a slight 12-11 lead after the first period.
Tuskegee's defensive efforts were evident as they held Allen to just 12 points in the first quarter, and despite Tuskegee's struggles on offense, they kept the game close.
The Golden Tigers' defense played a pivotal role, limiting Allen to 28.6 percent shooting from the field in the first half.
In the second quarter, Tuskegee made adjustments, ramping up their offensive game. They outscored Allen 19-16 in the period, taking a 30-28 lead into halftime.
The Golden Tigers capitalized on turnovers and found success in the paint, leading to a strong offensive rebounding performance.
After halftime, Allen came out strong, but Tuskegee maintained its lead with some key plays from
La'Dajah Huguley and
Hilani Cantone.
Despite some back-and-forth moments and a brief push by Allen, Tuskegee's resilience allowed them to hold on to their advantage. The Golden Tigers pushed their lead to 47-42 in the final minutes with an important free throw from
Shemaiah Mackin and a layup from Cantone.
The final minutes saw Allen attempt to close the gap, but the Golden Tigers' defense continued to shine. Key defensive rebounds and critical steals allowed Tuskegee to weather Allen's last-minute surge. With just seconds remaining, Tuskegee's defense prevented Allen from scoring another field goal, sealing the victory with a final score of 56-49.
Individually, Taliah Wesley led the way for Tuskegee with 16 points and four assists, while Mya Johnson contributed 10 points and four rebounds off the bench. Cantone added a significant contribution with 11 points, including some key plays in the second half, followed by 10 points from Mackin.
This win was an important step for Tuskegee as they look to build momentum in their conference play. The Golden Tigers will look to continue their strong defensive play and improve offensively in the coming games.
Up Next
Tuskegee will return to play in 2025, as the Golden Tigers start a four-game road stretch on January 4, at Savannah State. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET inside of Tiger Arena.
How to Follow the Golden Tigers
For complete information on Tuskegee Golden Tigers Women's Basketball, visit
GoldenTigerSports.com and follow the team's social media channels on
Twitter,
Instagram and
Facebook.
