ATLANTA, Ga | The Alabama A&M University women's basketball team battled until the final possession but came up just short in a 51-49 loss to Southern on Friday morning in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Tournament at Gateway Center Arena.
Southern, which ended AAMU's 18-game winning streak, advances to Saturday's championship game and will face either Alabama State or Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Alabama A&M concludes play at 22-10 and awaits a bid to the WNIT.
The Bulldogs opened the contest with strong defensive energy, building an early 14-11 lead at the end of the first quarter. Alabama A&M continued to compete in a tightly contested battle that featured seven ties and six lead changes throughout the game.
Southern used a strong second quarter to take a narrow 31-25 advantage into halftime, but Alabama A&M responded in the third period, outscoring the Jaguars 13-8 to pull within one heading into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter turned into a back-and-forth defensive battle as both teams traded baskets down the stretch. Alabama A&M briefly grabbed the lead late in the period, but Southern connected on a jumper with just one second remaining to secure the 51-49 victory.
Aniya Palmer led the Bulldogs with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Coriah Beck added 11 points and six rebounds. Kalia Walker contributed seven points and Vanessa Wimberly added three assists in the effort.
Despite the loss, Alabama A&M controlled the boards with 32 rebounds and continued to battle defensively throughout the contest.
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