Tigerettes’ Season Concludes in Loss at SIAC Tourney to Miles

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BIRMINGHAM, AL  (goldentigersports.com) —  Rachel Brownlee led Tuskegee University in scoring for the 19th time this season, but it wasn’t enough as the Tigerettes fell to Miles College 69-41 n the opening round of the SIAC Basketball Championships at Bill Harris Arena Monday night.

Brownlee led Tuskegee with 13 points, her 23rd consecutive game in double figures this season and the 25th time in 26 games she has reached the mark. The last time Brownlee did not reach the mark was back on November 19 against North Alabama.

She ends her junior campaign with 926 career points.

In her final collegiate game, senior Demetries McNealey added 12 points on 5-of-17 shooting from the floor as Tuskegee finished the night shooting 25.9 (14-of-54) percent from the floor and 26.7 (4-of-15) percent from beyond the arc.

Miles was led by Ashley Steger with 16 points, while Torborsha Holley added 15 and Amoni Walker 12. The Lady Golden Bears finished the night shooting 40.4 (23-of-57) percent from the floor and 36.4 (8-of-22) percent from beyond the arc.

After falling behind 20-4 at the end of the first quarter, the Tigerettes charged back into the contest with 20 points of their own in the second quarter to trim the deficit to just eight at halftime (32-24).

Miles was able to maintain a 12 point lead midway through the first half before Demetries McNealey drove to the basket to trim the deficit to 26-16, followed by a three-pointer from Kierra Ward trimmed the deficit to 26-19. The run continued and reached 7-0 on a Brownlee jumper that trimmed the deficit to 26-21.

The Tigerettes battled for most of the first half without second-leading scorer, Aryana Jackson, went to the bench with three fouls in only nine minutes of action.

For every run that Tuskegee had in the second half, Miles (16-11) had an answer and was able to build the lead to as much as 28 with just over three minutes to play in the game.

Miles advances to the quarterfinals of the SIAC Tournament, where they will face the winner of Claflin (East Division three) and LeMoyne-Owen (West Division six) on Thursday at 1 pm.

The Tigerettes end the year 5-21 overall; while the careers of Vanessa Akra, Hallen Bentley and McNealey come to a close with 43 career victories and a trip to the NCAA Division II Regionals