Green's Double-Double Not Enough in Double Overtime

Dec. 20, 2006

Orangeburg, S.C. - South Carolina State's Sophilia Hipps hit a 12-foot jumper at the buzzer to seal a 54-53 double overtime win over Alabama A&M Wednesday night. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for South Carolina State and is the fourth straight loss for AAMU.  Senior guard Tamika Green led the way for Alabama A&M with a double-double 18 points and 12 rebounds, while forward Christain Malone added eight points.

The SCSU defense held Alabama A&M to shoot 30% from the field for the game and forced 22 turnovers.  A&M's defense held the hosts to just 22% from the field for the game.

After a dismall battle in the first half where each team shot less than 30 percent from the field, Alabama A&M went to the locker room with a 23-21 lead.

The final six minutes of regulation were highlighted by free throws with the two teams combing for just three field goals in the final five minutes of regulation. Alabama A&M's Christian Malone hit a driving lay-up with 22 seconds left in regulation to tie the game, 44-44 and send the contest into overtime.

The first overtime looked a lot like the final five minutes of regulation with both teams going 2-11 from the field, but connecting on 11-of-16 free throws to remain tied. Though Moore would hit a pair of free throws at the 2:17 mark to put South Carolina State on top, 48-46, Alabama A&M's' Green would erase the South Carolina State lead with a pair of free throws of her own 30 seconds later. After a missed SCSU free throw by Baity, Alabama A&M junior guard Sade Lett had a chance to win the game, but went 1-of-2 on a pair of free throws at the 00:51 mark that would have sealed the game. However, after a missed Baity lay-up with four seconds left, the two Lady Bulldog teams would head into their second overtime period of the contest tied at 49-49.

The second overtime period proved to be just as tough with the two teams combining for just three field goals. SCSU's Johnson opened the scoring with a jumper 20 seconds into the period. With the shot, the hosts jumped ahead 51-49 and would get a bit of a cushion when sophomore forward Rasheeda Jones added a free throw at the 1:34 mark. Alabama A&M would once again bounce back with junior Rebekkah Barnes hitting a pair of free throws at the 1:11 mark to pull to within one. Green would hit a running jumper in the lane that looked like it could have sealed the game for Alabama A&M, but Hipps' jumper at the buzzer gave SCSU the win.

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