Women's Basketball narrowly falls to Oakwood in HBCUAC Game
TALLADEGA, Ala. - In a closely contested Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) basketball game at the Billy Hawkins Student Activity Center on Saturday, the Wiley University women's basketball team overcame a double-digit deficit and took the lead in the fourth quarter but could not hold off Oakwood University in a 66-61 loss in the final game of the HBCUAC Crossover.
The Lady Wildcats (7-9, 5-5 HBCUAC), bolstered by strong performances from Jessica Nerestant and Tamia Dolls, showed remarkable resilience. Nerestant contributed her seventh double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds, while Dolls led the team in scoring with 16 points, including crucial 3-pointers that kept their team in contention.
The game was characterized by a significant comeback in the second quarter where Wiley trailed by 14 points. Key shots from Dolls, Emilee Proctor, and others cut the deficit to just four points at halftime.
Proctor and Celebria Peacock also turned in noteworthy performances. Peacock's strategic 3-pointer gave the Lady Wildcats a brief lead with 4:27 left in the fourth quarter. However, despite Wiley gaining the lead multiple times, Oakwood responded effectively each time, ultimately taking the lead for good after Wiley's offense stumbled in the final minutes. Proctor finished with eight points, two rebounds and two assists. Peacock nearly recorded a double-double with nine points and eight assists. Mya Jones scored in double-figures for the third consecutive game with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Wiley was slightly outshot 40.6 to 39.1 percent. It was outrebounded 46-38, including 18-12 on the offensive glass, leading to 15 second-chance points for the Ambassadors. Both teams forced 13 turnovers.
The Lady Wildcats will face off against Philander Smith University on Saturday in Little Rock, Ark.
For more coverage on the Lady Wildcats visit https://wileyathletics.com/sports/wbkb/index
About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 12 varsity sports, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field and baseball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) and the Continental Athletic Conference for men's and women's soccer.
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