HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Alabama A&M (10-13, 8-5 SWAC) completed the season sweep of Arkansas-Pine Bluff (10-13, 6-7 SWAC) as the defense locked in to close out a 56-50 victory in an NCAA Division I women's basketball game on Monday, February 14.
 
Senior forward Dariauna Lewis (Omaha, Neb.) delivered another impressive performance, hauling in 18 boards to go with 13 points, two assists, a block and a steal to lead A&M while graduate guard Nigeria Jones (Lincoln, Neb.) dropped 19 points with three assists.
 
Senior center Jada Clowers (Macon, Ga.) just missed a double-double of her own with eight points, nine boards and a pair of blocks and graduate forward Kierra Johnson-Graham (Atlanta, Ga.) added four points and seven caroms. Sophomore guard Darian Burgin (Cincinnati, Ohio) rounded out the top performers with five points, six rebounds and three assists.
 
Both teams would come out with an offensive mind set as UAPB took a 6-4 lead in the first two-plus minutes before the Bulldogs roared to life. Following two minutes of scoreless action by both clubs, Jones would knocked down a pair of threes and deliver eight points in an 18-6 run. That spanned the final 5:38 and put A&M up 22-12 at the end of one.
 
With the score at 26-15, it would be the Golden Lions turn to open up the offense as they put together a 13-2 run in the next 6:11. Zaay Green would score six of those points on the way to knotting it up at 28-28 with 1:10 remaining in the half. From there a three by Harris would help A&M close the frame holding a narrow 33-31 advantage.
 
UAPB would get right back on track to start the third, however, as they took a two-point lead, 37-35, at the 8:14 mark. At that point the Bulldogs' Johnson-Graham took over, notching a bucket and back-to-back assists as they closed the period with a 9-4 run and a 46-40 lead.
 
Following a three by Green to open the fourth and cut it to three, A&M would score the next six points to extend to a 52-43 advantage by the 5:13 mark. A pair of Green free throws then cut it to seven but the Golden Lions would get no closer than the final margin of 56-50 as the Bulldogs defense closed it out.
 
Green led the way for UAPB with 20 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals while Sade Hudson had 11 points. Tyler Pyburn added seven caroms and three steals to round the top performers.
 
The Bulldogs hit the road for the final time in the regular season as they begin a two-game swing through the Sunshine State. That trip will begin with a 1 p.m. (CST) meeting with Bethune-Cookman on Saturday, February 19 and conclude with a 4:30 p.m. matchup at Florida A&M on Monday, February 21.

FULL GAME VIDEO