Cheyney, PA – Senior JaNya Lilly paced Cheyney with a career-high 29 points but a three-pointer, from Nicole Blanch with one second left in the fourth quarter, lifted visiting Alliance University to a 65-62 victory over the Wolves in women's basketball action on Tuesday night inside Alfred Cope Hall.
Sophomore Maciyah Washington made two free-throws for the Wolves (2-9) with 9.5 seconds remaining to tie the game at 62-62. Blanch who made six three-point shots in the first three quarters, but had been held scoreless in the fourth, connected for her seventh three of the game to give the Warriors (3-17) the lead and the victory with one second left on the clock.
Alliance led a close contest after each of the first three quarters holding a 21-17 edge after the first, 36-32 at the half and 47-45 after three quarters. The score was tied 22 times and there were 22 lead changes. Amazingly Cheyney never led by more than two-points throughout the game.
A Washington basket opened the scoring and the Warriors responded with eight straight points connecting on back-back three-pointers in the process, to build an 8-2 edge. Washington hit a three of her own to spark a six-point Cheyney run to knot the game at 8-8 with four minutes to play in the opening quarter.
Blanch, who led Alliance with 23 points, then connected with her second three of the game, the Wolves responded with a free-throw from Lilly and a three-pointer from Junior Nytasia Braxton to pull ahead 12-11.
After an alliance free-throw, Blanch and Lilly exchanged shots from downtown, then Blanch would drain two more shots from beyond the arc to give her five threes made in the first quarter. Junior Ijhanay Johnson made two free-throws to pull Cheyney within four at 21-17 at the end of the first ten minutes.
The Warriors seemed to be pulling away with an 11-point run early in the second quarter to take a 32-18 lead with 5:23 to play in the half.
Cheyney behind four three-point shots from Lilly went on a 14-1 outburst to make it a one-point contest 33-32.
Lilly connected on three straight shots from beyond the arc to bring Cheyney within five points 32-27 with 3:50 to play. A free-throw from Alliance ended the run, but Junior Nytasia Braxton made two free-throws, and Lilly hit once more from downtown to bring the crowd to its feet and make it a one point contest 33-32 with 1:28 to play in the half. A three-pointer from the Warriors closed out the scoring with Alliance holding a 36-32 edge at the break.
Lilly led all scorers with 19 first half point and Blanch led the Warriors with fifteen points on five made three's all in the first quarter. Alliance made eight threes and Cheyney kept the game close connecting on seven shots from downtown.
In the third quarter the defense tightened, and the teams combined to make only two three-pointers on 14 attempts.
Washington started the second half with a triple and a steal from senior Jazmin Walker led to a Lilly layup as Cheyney regained the lead at 37-36. The Warriors responded with a five-point run from Blanch, (who would not score again until the winning basket), to take the lead back 41-37 with 5:56 showing on the clock in the third. The Wolves used and 8-2 run to take a two-point lead, 45-43 with just 3:25 to play in the third. Braxton ignited the run with back-to-back jumpers, followed by a Lilly steal and layup and an offensive rebound and putback from sophomore Jireh Kelly. Alliance closed the third with the final four-points to head to the fourth with a 47-45 advantage.
The fourth quarter, which included six lead changes and six ties, saw Lilly pick up her fourth foul just seconds in and the lead never getting larger than two points either way, until an 8-2 run gave Alliance a 60-54 lead with just over five minutes to play.
Lilly made three free throws and a Braxton triple knotted the score at 60-60 with 2:48 to play. The scoreboard didn't change again until Lilly was called for her fifth foul and the Warriors Carly Bolivar made two form the charity stripe.
Washington was then fouled and calmly made two from the line to tie the game for a final time 62-62, setting the game for the winning basket for the Warriors with one second left to play, the Wolves were unable to get a shot off before the final buzzer.
Lilly made a career-best five three point shots and led Cheyney with 10 rebounds for a double-double, Washington added 17 points, Braxton had a team-best five assts and scored twelve points and Kelly pulled down nine rebounds and added three assists in the contest.
The Cheyney women are off until senior night on February 20, when the Wolves host Bryant & Stratton Syracuse for a double-header with the tipoff for the women's game scheduled for 5:30 PM inside Cope Hall, followed by the men at 7:30.
Cheyney University Athletic Director, Tammy A. Bagby and head coach Alishia Mosley will honor our two seniors JaNya Lilly and Jazmin Walker prior to the game.
