#7 Shelton State Hands #16 Wallace State First Loss

HANCEVILLE - In a battle of first-place teams, No. 7 Shelton State Community College women's basketball team grinded out a 49-47 win over #16 Wallace State Hanceville at Tom Drake Coliseum Saturday afternoon. 

The Lady Bucs (19-2, 5-0 ACCC) handed the Lady Lions their first loss of the season. 

Shelton State has now beaten three undefeated teams this season, including Walters State, Chipola and Hanceville.

The Lady Bucs are 3-2 against Top 25 teams this season. 

Shelton State extended its wining streak to 14 games, the fourth-longest active streak among DI women's teams.

Freshman Aryah Grace (Meridian, Miss.) scored the winning basket after an offensive rebound and put back with less than one second to play.

After several minutes of discussion the officials confirmed the basket and put 2.2 seconds on the clock.

Wallace State called timeout to advance the ball to midcourt. The inbounds pass went to the Lady Lions best three-point shooter Leah Childress, who fired up an air ball as time expired. 

Freshman Nadia Norfleet (Tupelo, Miss.) hit a layup with 2:26 left to give the Lady Bucs a 41-39 lead. 

Hanceville answered on its next possession when Zamyra Goode hit a 12-foot jumper just before the shot clock expired to tie the game at 41-41.

Norfleet hit another lay-up with 1:03 left to give Shelton State a 43-41 lead.

Again, Hanceville answered with Isaiah Mercer's jumper with 33.3 seconds left. 

The Lady Bucs melted the clock and used two time outs to set up the game-winner. 

Norfleet missed the jumper with the shot clock winding down, but Grace picked up the rebound and scored the go-ahead bucket.

A tight game throughout, neither team led by more than five points. The Lady Bucs largest lead was 7-2 in a the first quarter. The Lady Lions led 19-14 and 31-26. 

The game also featured eight lead changes and 13 ties. 

The game was tied 11-11 after the first quarter, and Hanceville took a 23-22 lead into halftime.

The game was tied 34-34 after three quarters. 

The Lady Bucs were 20-for-48 (.417) from the floor, including four three-pointers. The Lady Bucs only made 1-of-5 free throw attempts.

Grace led the way with 12 points, her sixth straight double-figure game. She added six rebounds and one blocked shot.

Norfleet added 11 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals. 

Freshman Haley Trotter (Chelsea) finished with nine points and five rebounds.

Sophomore Alana Obianozie (Madison)  had four points and eight rebounds.

Goode led the Lady Lions with 13 points.

Shelton State returns to action on Monday, Feb. 2 with a 5:30 p.m. game at Gadsden State. The men's game follows at 7:30 p.m.