HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Alabama A&M (7-2, 5-1 SWAC) notched four players in double-digit scoring and used a third quarter run to hold off Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-13, 1-8 SWAC) by a 76-69 score in an NCAA Division I women's basketball game on Monday, February 8.
 
Freshman guard Darian Burgin (Cincinnati, Ohio) dropped a career-high 21 points with five rebounds and a pair of steals to lead the Bulldogs while junior forward Dariauna Lewis (Omaha, Neb.) hauled in a double-double of 18 points and 12 boards to go with a block and a pair of steals.
 
Senior guard Nigeria Jones (Lincoln, Neb.) produced 16 points and dished out eight assists and redshirt-junior center Elexis Evans (Greensboro, Ala.) and senior guard Deshawna Harper (Indianapolis, Ind.) would not be far off as both just missed double-doubles of their own. Evans posted 13 points and seven caroms, along with three assists, and Harper finished with 10 points and seven rebounds to round out the top performers.
 
The Bulldogs would methodically pull out to an 8-4 advantage over the first 6:58 of the game before a bucket by Khadijah Brown sliced that margin in half. A three by Burgin would ignite a 7-4 stretch that would then extend the lead to 15-10 with 49 seconds on the clock before a jumper by Brown made it a three-point deficit entering the second period.
 
A game that barely managed double-digit points over the first seven minutes quickly turned into one looking to set a land speed record as both clubs adopted an up-and-down style that would see both score over 20 points in the frame. 
 
UAPB came with back-to-back baskets to take a 16-15 lead in the opening minute before the teams traded the next three buckets to leave A&M with a 19-18 advantage. That last one of those would be the first of four straight scores that would power an 8-0 run that left the Bulldogs with a 25-18 lead just under three minutes into the frame.
 
The Golden Lions would bounce back with a three from Kaila Walker to narrow it to four points but it wouldn't last as Alabama A&M scored 10 of the next 12 to push to a 35-23 advantage with 4:08 showing on the clock. The tide would then turn dramatically as UAPB mounted a 15-4 rally that was capped by a bucket with six tenths of a second left and sliced the Bulldogs' lead to just 39-38 at the break.
 
Having seen their lead evaporate over the final four minutes of the first half, A&M came out on fire to start the second half with another 8-0 run, this time extending to a 47-38 margin by the 8:11 mark. That lead would eventually grow to 11 points on a pair of occasions before settling at 59-49 heading to the fourth.
 
With the lead at 68-54 with 5:45 left, the Golden Lions battled back to within eight, 71-63, with a 9-3 burst but would not get any closer than the final margin of seven as AAMU closed out the 76-69 victory.
 
Brown led the way for Arkansas-Pine Bluff with a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds while Walker finished with 15 points. Tyler Pyburn added 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting and Trasity Totten chipped in with seven points and five caroms. Ashlynn Green notched five points and three steals while Maya Peat had six points and four boards.
 
The Bulldogs now begin a home-and-home with rival Alabama State as they head to Montgomery on Saturday, February 13. Following that 2 p.m. matchup they will welcome the Hornets back to Elmore Gymnasium for a 5 p.m. contest on Monday, February 15.