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| Freshman Jordan Stark scored 18 points on Saturday night. |
NACOGDOCHES ? Junior Onika Anderson and freshman Jordan Stark combined for 36 points, but it wasn’t enough, as Stephen F. Austin held on for a 57-54 win on Saturday night in Southland Conference action at Johnson Coliseum.
Anderson and Stark both scored 18 points for the Roadrunners (20-9, 12-4 SLC). Anderson also hauled in a team-high eight rebounds, while Stark went 4-for-9 from downtown. Junior guard Monica Gibbs added six points and recorded three blocks on the night.
The Ladyjacks (12-16, 9-7 SLC) were led by Nikki Carr’s 17 points and game-high 10 rebounds, while Chantol Drennan chipped in with 11 points.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Terrie Davis highlighted a Roadrunners 10-4 run to open the second half that gave them the lead at 34-32 with 17:58 left. However, the Ladyjacks tied the game at 39 on Drennan’s short jumper at the 11-minute mark. Antoinette Davis’ layup gave SFA a two-point edge (41-39). UTSA then netted the next six points to go up by five (46-41) with 7:42 remaining. However, the Ladyjacks scored 14 of the next 18 points over the next five minutes to retake the lead for good at 55-50. Anderson’s layup pulled the Roadrunner within one with 16 seconds left, but Natashia Green’s free throws sealed the three-point victory for SFA.
UTSA jumped to an early 13-5 lead on Stark’s 3-pointer with 12:19 to go in the first half. Stephen F. Austin then cut the deficit to 13-9 when Jessica Gaines connected on a jumper with 11:21 to play. Stark then pushed the advantage to 16-9 with her second three-ball of the frame. SFA headed into the locker with the 28-24 advantage courtesy of an 18-7 run to end the stanza.
UTSA will be the No. 3 seed at next week’s SLC Tournament in Katy and will face sixth-seeded Northwestern State at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12.