NATCHITOCHES, LA --- Despite a 20-point night from Addie Lees (Jr., Plainview, Texas), the University of Arkansas at Monticello Cotton Blossoms (1-2) were unable to overcome a hot-shooting Northwestern State team, falling 89-80 in Natchitoches on Saturday.

   After falling behind 4-0 early in the opening half, the Blossoms fought back, taking a 7-6 lead after a Lees three-pointer with 16:35 remaining before halftime. The two teams would trade leads until the 12:15 mark, when NSU’s Akilah Givens gave the Lady Demons an 18-16 lead with a three-pointer of the own.

   NSU held the lead through the remainder of the half, going into the intermission up 42-38.

  The Lady Demons extended their lead to as many as 15 (63-48) with 13:55 remaining before the Blossoms clawed back, cutting the NSU lead to single digits; but NSU was able to hold on for the nine-point victory.

   NSU’s Tena Matthews led all scorers with 21 points. Ashli Barnum also scored 20 for the Lady Demons.

   Lees led UAM with 20 points, while Gemma Gibson (Jr., Dodd City, Texas) added 17, April Eason (Jr., Memphis, Tenn.) added 14, and Shenai Limbrick (Sr., Houston, Texas) added 13.

   The Cotton Blossoms return to action on Tuesday, November 28, hosting Southwest Baptist University in the front end of a doubleheader with the two schools’ men’s teams. A 5:30 p.m. tip-off is scheduled.

   BLOSSOMS FALL TO WOLVES

   MONTEVALLO, AL --- The University of Arkansas at Monticello Cotton Blossoms (1-1) shot just 33.3 percent from the floor en route to a 53-48 loss to the West Georgia Wolves (1-1) on the final day of the UM Coca-Cola Classic on Saturday.

   The Wolves scored the first bucket of the game less than a minute into the half, and led throughout the half, pushing ahead by as many as seven (19-12), before the Blossoms were able to narrow the gap to two (23-21) after a jumper by Almeli da Silva (Sr., Sao Paolo, Brazil) with 1:50 left before halftime.

   West Georgia took a five-point (27-22) lead into the half, and extended their lead to nine (33-24) in the opening five minutes of the second half, before the Blossoms charged back, tying the contest on a three-point play by Gemma Gibson (Jr., Dodd City, Texas) with 8:33 left in the game.

   Gibson broke the stalemate to give the Blossoms their first lead of the night just three minutes later with a key three-pointer, and the Blossoms would hold a close lead until UWG’s Rita Grayson hit a jumper to put the Wolves up one (49-48) with 1:29 remaining, and the Wolves would hold UAM scoreless down the stretch to seal the victory.

   Gibson’s 12 points led all scorers. Addie Lees (Jr., Plainview, Texas) added eleven points in the loss.