HOUSTON (Interstat) — Texas Southern used a strong first quarter and timely free throw shooting to defeat Mississippi Valley State 72-62 in a women’s basketball game Thursday night at Health & P.E. Arena. The Lady Tigers built a 20-15 lead after one quarter and maintained a steady advantage, despite the Devilettes’ 36-22 edge in points in the paint. Texas Southern countered by hitting nine 3-pointers and 21 free throws. Taliyah Logwood led Texas Southern with 17 points, while Malaya LeSueur added 16. Sydnei Marshall scored 15 for Mississippi Valley State. Texas Southern improved to 6-9 overall. Mississippi Valley State fell to 2-12.

HOUSTON (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive pressure and offensive struggles, the Texas Southern Lady Tigers used a decisive third-quarter run to pull away from the Mississippi Valley State Devilettes for a 72-62 victory in a Southwestern Athletic Conference women’s basketball matchup Thursday night at Health & P.E. Arena. Despite an energetic start and a persistent effort in the paint, Mississippi Valley State could not overcome a cold shooting night and 19 turnovers, which Texas Southern converted into 19 points. The Devilettes, who fell to 2-12 overall, outscored the Lady Tigers 36-22 in the paint and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds but shot just 33.8% from the field and a frigid 20% from three-point range. Their difficulties were compounded at the free-throw line, where they made only 13 of 22 attempts. Texas Southern, improving to 6-9, was not markedly more efficient from the floor, shooting 34.4%, but found a critical edge from beyond the arc and at the charity stripe. The Lady Tigers connected on 9 of 27 three-point attempts and, more importantly, capitalized on frequent trips to the line, making 21 of 32 free throws. Their offensive rating of 84.5 on 85 possessions outpaced Mississippi Valley State’s 74.3 on 83 possessions, underscoring a more effective, if not always pretty, offensive execution. The game’s pivotal sequence arrived late in the third quarter with Texas Southern protecting a narrow 40-38 lead. Over a span of just over two minutes, the Lady Tigers engineered a 7-0 run that provided the separation they would not relinquish. The surge was fueled by their primary offensive threats, Taliyah Logwood and Malaya LeSueur. Logwood initiated the run by drawing a foul on a three-point attempt and calmly sinking all three free throws. Following a Devilettes turnover, LeSueur was fouled and made both of her free throws. Shortly after, Jordyn Marshall buried a three-pointer off an assist from Daeja Holmes, stretching the Texas Southern lead to 47-40 and forcing a Mississippi Valley State timeout. That run transformed a tense, one-possession contest into a two-possession cushion for the home team, a margin that proved insurmountable for the offensively challenged Devilettes. Mississippi Valley State managed to close the gap to five points on several occasions in the fourth quarter but could never string together enough consecutive scores to truly threaten. Every Devilette push was answered, often by Logwood or LeSueur, who finished with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Jordyn Marshall added 15 points for Texas Southern. For Mississippi Valley State, Sydnei Marshall led the way with 15 points, while Nairobi Lewis provided a strong interior presence off the bench with 11 points and two blocks in just 17 minutes. Desiree Smith contributed eight points, three assists and a block. The Devilettes’ defensive effort was notable, matching Texas Southern with 14 steals and forcing 19 turnovers, but their own offensive inconsistencies prevented them from turning those extra possessions into a winning total. The announced attendance was 546. Mississippi Valley State continues its road trip at Prairie View on Saturday. Texas Southern remains at home to face Arkansas-Pine Bluff, also on Saturday.

HOUSTON (Interstat) — Two Southwestern Athletic Conference teams seeking momentum will meet Thursday when the Texas Southern Lady Tigers host the Mississippi Valley State Devilettes in a women’s basketball matchup at Health & P.E. Arena. Texas Southern (5-9) enters conference play looking to rebound from a 45-64 road loss at Southern on Saturday. The Lady Tigers had won two of their previous three, including a 61-58 victory at Grambling on New Year’s Day. Guard Daeja Holmes has been a consistent offensive threat, averaging 12.4 points per game. She scored 22 points in a loss to Texas A&M-Commerce last month and had 18 points in the win at Grambling. Mississippi Valley State (2-11) aims to snap a four-game skid, most recently a 50-83 home loss to Alabama State. The Devilettes’ last win was a 74-72 overtime victory against Alabama A&M on Jan. 1. Forward Ariel Jefferson has been a bright spot, coming off a nine-point, nine-rebound performance against Alabama State. She posted a season-high 18 points in the win over Alabama A&M. Both teams have struggled against non-conference competition, with the Devilettes losing by an average of 41.5 points in road games at power conference opponents Auburn and Oklahoma State. Texas Southern also endured lopsided road defeats at Vanderbilt and West Virginia. The game marks the start of the SWAC schedule for both programs. Texas Southern will look to leverage its home court, where it is 2-1 this season, including a 119-58 rout of Biblical Studies. Mississippi Valley State is 0-8 in true road games. Following Thursday’s contest, Texas Southern hosts Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday, while Mississippi Valley State travels to face Prairie View.