Savannah State Women’s Basketball Falls to Albany State, Hosts Spring Hill Next
- – The Savannah State University women’s basketball team battled fiercely but ultimately fell to in-state rival Albany State on Thursday night at Tiger Arena.
- The game began promisingly for Savannah State, with Ansley Hicks opening the scoring with a jumper.
- However, Albany State responded with a dominant 20-4 run to close out the first quarter, establishing a commanding 25-10 lead.
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Savannah State University women’s basketball team battled fiercely but ultimately fell to in-state rival Albany State on Thursday night at Tiger Arena. The Lady Tigers fought back from a significant deficit, but couldn’t overcome a strong performance from the Golden Rams.
The game began promisingly for Savannah State, with Ansley Hicks opening the scoring with a jumper. A subsequent basket from Sanai Chisholm briefly gave Savannah State the lead, 4-3, and another jumper by Chisholm extended the advantage to 6-5 with 6:06 remaining in the first quarter.
However, Albany State responded with a dominant 20-4 run to close out the first quarter, establishing a commanding 25-10 lead. The Golden Rams continued to build on their advantage in the second quarter, extending it to a 48-21 margin by halftime.
Savannah State emerged from the break with renewed energy, outscoring Albany State 24-17 in the third quarter. The Lady Tigers found their rhythm, shooting 53% from the field and converting 2-of-3 attempts from beyond the arc. Despite still trailing, they managed to reduce the deficit, closing the gap to 17 points at one point.
Down by 24 with just over three minutes remaining, Savannah State refused to surrender. A 7-0 run fueled by jumpers from Chisholm and Jaliyah Harper, and a crucial three-pointer from Saniyah Rice, brought the score to 62-45.
Savannah State scored 14 points in the final quarter, with Haylee Malcum contributing five points, Harper adding four, Chisholm scoring three, and Rice chipping in two.
For the game, Savannah State scored 20 points off of 23 Albany State turnovers, demonstrating their ability to capitalize on opponent mistakes.
Hicks led the Lady Tigers with a strong all-around performance, recording three steals, 15 points, and a career-high eight rebounds. Chisholm added 12 points and three assists, while Rice had the best night of her young career with 11 points, four rebounds, and two steals.
Harper scored nine points and dished out four assists, while also pulling down a career-high 12 rebounds. Raven Birt contributed seven points and three assists, and Malcum finished with five points, nine rebounds, and three blocks.
Savannah State (7-12, 6-12 SIAC) will return to action on February 8th, hosting Spring Hill College at 1:00 p.m. In Tiger Arena. The game will be broadcast on HBCUGO Sports.