Blossoms Get 32-Point Win Over SAU - Second Straight GSC Win
February 2, 2008

MONTICELLO, Arkansas – The University of Arkansas at Monticello Cotton Blossoms won its second straight Gulf South Conference game Saturday afternoon with a 76-44 win over Southern Arkansas.
 
The Blossoms scored first with a jumper from freshman Erika Brown (Shreveport, La.) less than a minute into the game. SAU’s Kayla Jones answered back during the next trip down the court to tie the game for the first and only time during the contest.
 
The Blossoms then went on a 31-5 run over the next 11 minutes to stretch  the lead to 33-7 in favor of the Blossoms. However, that 26-point lead was not the largest lead for the Blossoms in the game. UAM held leads of at least 30 points seven times during the contest. Their largest lead of 34 points came with less than a minute to go in the game, when senior Shakia Sanders (Chester, S.C.) nailed a jumper to put the Blossoms up 76-42.
 
Senior Gemma Gibson (Dodd City, Texas) recorded her first double-double of the year after turning in season game highs of both 17 points and 11 rebounds. Gibson went 6-of-11 from the field, half coming from beyond the three-point arc, where her and freshman Janette Thompson (Hot Springs, Ark.) tied for lead in the game with three pointers made.
 
Sophomore LaToya Josey (Madisonville, Texas) also climbed into double digits after recording 12 points. Josey was 6-of-15 from the field and also pulled down five boards.
 
The Blossoms as a team connected on nine three point attempts. Gibson and Thompson both had three treys a piece, while junior Sharlene Murphy (Coldwater, Miss.), junior Andrea Dubose (Hickory, Miss.), and junior Tasha Owens (Fox, Ark.) all had one three pointer.
 
The Blossoms combined to finish with their worst free-throw percentage game of the season. The team only made five free throws on 11 attempts. Their previous season game low was in December in the Southwest Baptist loss, when the team combined to shoot 53 percent (9-of-17).
 
The Lady Muleriders were led by efforts of Goldie White, who was the team’s leading scorer coming into the ballgame. White recorded 10 points after shooting 3-of-8 from the field with four successful free throws.
 
With the win, UAM improves to 11-9 overall this season and 4-3 in GSC play, while the Lady Muleriders drop to 4-15 overall and 0-7 in GSC play. The loss also extends SAU to 11 straight defeats.
 
The next action for the Blossoms is Thursday, Feb. 7, when they host Harding University for the start of the second round of GSC games. The Blossoms lost to Harding in Searcy 60-68 on Jan. 12. Tip-off for Thursday’s game is set for 5:30 p.m. in the Steelman Fieldhouse.
 
The game can be heard live on the radio at KHBM-FM 93.7, which will be streamed live on the internet through UAM’s athletic website by logging on to uamsports.com.