PENSACOLA, Fla. - Little Rock took the lead with three minutes left in the first half and didn't let it go, upsetting Georgia State University, 75-68, Saturday to advance to the Sun Belt Conference Women's Basketball Championship semifinals.
"We took some losses last week because we're making some changes and trying to build a little bit an see what we can do this week, and it's paid off for us," said Little Rock head coach Joe Foley. "These kids have picked up some experience along the way. If you'd told me we'd have that many freshmen on the floor and we'd be in the semifinals in the Sun Belt Tournament, I'd thought, 'Man, you're crazy.' But this has proved you can overcome a lot. We're just trying to get better each day."
GSU, the No. 2 seed from the East, built a six-point lead, 11-5, in the first quarter with a pair of 3-pointers from Kamryn Dziak and a 3 and layup from Ashley Foster. There were nine first-half lead changes, but Ky'lie Scott's pullup jumper with 3:11 to play before halftime flipped the lead for good in favor of Little Rock. The visiting Trojans entered halftime with a 36-34 lead.
A pair of Taniyah Worth free throws midway through the third quarter pulled Georgia State within a point, 42-41, but Little Rock pushed back out to a six-point margin. Taylor Hosendove tied the game at 56 with 5:52 to play, but Teal Battle followed two possessions later with a 3-pointer to keep the Trojans in front. Little Rock's lead grew as high as 10 points as it outscored GSU, 19-12, down the stretch.
"That 3 she made was the turning point. It broke the game open for us. She had enough guts to put herself in that position and the kids know to look for her. There's nothing hidden, everyone knows that's our clutch player right now," Foley said of Battle.
The two teams were even in most categories, but Little Rock showed precision from the perimeter, knocking down 7-of-8 3-pointers. GSU was 8-of-18 long range.
"I was very satisfied of how we came out and were able to guard No. 11 (Hosendove) and keep most of the guards from shooting 3s until the very end. Overall we did very good," said Battle.
Little Rock joins App State as the only lower-seeded women's teams to post wins in this year's tournament, both doing so Saturday at Pensacola State College's Hartsell Arena.
Hosendove led GSU in three categories with a double-double 14 points and 13 rebounds, and added six assists. Hannah Sadler and Tehya Lyons each scored 10 points for the Panthers.
Scott finished with 22 points to lead Little Rock, making all four 3-pointers and all four free throws attempted. She was 7-of-11 from the floor and added six rebounds. Battle led all players with 25 points. Angelique Francis had 10 rebounds and Mayra Caicedo had 10 assists and no turnovers.
Little Rock (15-10), the third-seed from the West, will meet the West's top-seed Louisiana in the semifinals Sunday at 1:30 p.m. The Raggin' Cajuns won all three of the regular season meetings.