FORT WORTH, Texas – Freshman Shawndrika Courtney continued her scoring dominance as the Lady Rams avenged a 65-59 loss in Marshall on January 30. Courtney, who has averaged 22 points a game since that game, led all players with 18, including four as part of a 9-3 Wesleyan run over the last 2:46 that sealed the victory.

Wesleyan’s Stephanie Reder opened the scoring, stealing an errant Wiley pass and converting the lay-up. The lead changed hands four times over the next ten minutes as the teams battled back and forth. Behind an 8-0 run that began at the 14:33 mark, Wesleyan pulled ahead by six, leading 14-8 with just under ten minutes to play in the half.

Five minutes later, the Lady Rams had extended that lead to seven, but the Lady Wildcats would soon catch fire. Beginning at the 4:25 mark, Wiley scored 13 consecutive points to take a six-point lead with 1:30 left until halftime. A pair of last-minute free throws by Courtney cut into the lead, but the Lady Wildcats still held a 28-25 advantage as the buzzer sounded.

Shayla Coleman quickly erased that deficit, opening the second frame by burying Wesleyan’s first three-pointer of the game. Two minutes later, after a pair of Amber Boykins’ free throws, Naomi Vann connected on their second, kick-starting a 9-1 run that would put the Lady Rams back up by eight at 39-31.

Again, though, Wiley had an answer. This time, a 13-3 run by the Lady Wildcats gave them a three-point lead with under ten minutes to play in the game. Valen Little then tied the score with a three-pointer, then put Wesleyan back in front with another, despite being fouled on the shot. Injured by the foul, Little was replaced by Kori Yates who calmly knocked down the penalty shot, putting Wesleyan ahead by four, 51-47, with 4:41 remaining.

Wiley cut the lead to two, but Wesleyan roared back with seven consecutive points to put the game away.

Lisa Hodges led the Lady Wildcats with 13 points, hitting five of ten shots including two three-pointers. Ashante McGowen and Amber Boykins each scored ten, and Lakesha Rochelle led Wiley with seven rebounds.

For the Lady Rams, Shayla Coleman joined Courtney in double figures with 12 points. Kori Yates, Kim Cooper, and Valen Little each scored seven. Stephanie Reder scored six and Naomi Vann finished with five. Courtney and Cooper tied with a game-high eight rebounds. Yates added five assists and Reder tallied five steals.

The Lady Rams head to Odessa for Saturday’s game with UT-Permian Basin. They stay on the road to face Texas College next Monday and Huston-Tillotson the following Saturday. The next home game for the Lady Rams is on Monday, February 24 against #4 Houston Baptist University. That game tips off at 5:30 PM.