HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – In a crucial Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game, the Alabama A&M women's basketball team used a fourth quarter comeback to come away with a 50-48 victory over Bethune-Cookman on Saturday afternoon inside the Event Center.
 
Trailing 34-31 after three, the Bulldogs outscored their opponent 19-14 in the final period for the win after a massive run from the Wildcats in the third quarter.
 
Toni Grace (Fishers, Ind.) led the charge on the day with 17 points and four rebounds in 30 minutes of play, followed by Amani Free (Clay, N.Y.) who finished with 15 points and seven boards.
 
A&M stormed out to a lead in the opening quarter, leading 6-3 at the first media break and controlling the momentum to gain a double-digit advantage at 18-7 heading into the second. They maintained their edge to start the second, leading 22-14 at the timeout with 4:52 remaining in the half and later staving off a run from Bethune-Cookman, holding a 25-19 lead heading into the locker rooms.
 
The Wildcats responded with a dominant third quarter, holding the Bulldogs to just six points in the period on 2-for-13 shooting. Bethune-Cookman reduced the deficit to a single score game on three separate occasions yet took their first lead of the game after a three-pointer at the 1:52 mark, before heading into the fourth up 34-31.
 
The Bulldogs found themselves down eight, 43-35, with just over five minutes to play, before a pair of free throws from Grace sparked a comeback run. Amiah Simmons (Osawatomie, Kan.) scored inside to get within four, followed by three free throws from Jayla Cody (Valdosta, Ga.) to reduce the lead to a point at 43-42 with 2:54 to play.
 
After a score from the Wildcats, Free and Grace hit back-to-back threes for the final lead change, to go up 48-45, before A&M secured the win at the free throw line for the 50-48 final.
 
Up Next
Alabama A&M will host Florida A&M for their final regular season home game of the year on Monday, February 20. Tip-off for the women's game is set for 5:30 p.m. inside the Event Center.
 
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