CLEVELAND, Miss.  – The University of Arkansas at Monticello women’s basketball team suffered an 86-77 loss to Fort Valley State on the first day of Delta State’s Lloyd Clark Classic.

Junior Monica Perkins-Miller (Houston, Texas) took advantage of her first appearance of the season, leading the Blossoms with a double-double of 23 points and 13 rebounds. Perkins-Miller shot 9-of-14 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free-throw stripe.

Sophomore Erika Brown (Shreveport, La.) also reached the 20-point mark, shooting 6-of-10 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free-throw stripe to tally 20 points. Brown also pulled down six rebounds in her 25 minutes of action.

The Blossoms (6-2) had trouble putting the ball through the net, shooting a season-low 33 percent from the field. The team also had trouble from behind the three-point line, only connecting on 7-of-31 attempts for 23 percent.

Fort Valley (4-1) shot 47 percent from the field and was led by Shekiya Tarpkins and Takesha Riggs, both scoring a game-high 22 points.

The Blossoms continue play in the Lloyd Clark Classic tomorrow (December 16) with a 3 p.m. contest against GSC-East opponent West Alabama.