Prairie View A&M 61, Rice Owls 58

November 11, 2011

Last season, the Prairie View A&M Lady Panthers won the Rice Owls' "Gene Hackerman Invitational"; however, due to an upset in the opening round of the invitational, the two teams didn't compete against each other. Friday night, November 11, 2011, PV and Rice squared off; and, the Lady Panthers defeated the Owls, 61 to 58, in an exciting basketball game inside the William Nicks Building on Prairie View A&M's campus.

Neither team led by more than seven points in the ball game. Prairie View trailed the Owls 32-29 at halftime; but, PV scored the first 10 points of the second half to lead 39-32.

The Lady Panthers held the lead until Owls' freshman post Christal Porter converted a layup and foul which gave the Lady Panthers a one point deficit (51-50) with nearly six minutes remaining in the ball game.

Prairie View would trail 53-50 before Jeannette Jackson scored a layup to begin an 8-0 run to move ahead 58-53 with less than two minutes remaining.

Lereahn Washington missed the front end of a one-and-one at the foul line; however, with 37.5 seconds remaining, Owls' sophomore forward, Jessica Kuster, split her two free throws to trim the lead to 58-54.

Washington missed another front end of a one-and-one with 35 seconds on the clock; and, after a mad scramble, Owls' freshman Megan Shafer swished a three point shot to trim the lead to 58-57 with 18.5 seconds on the clock.

With 17 seconds on the clock, Kiara Etienne was fouled by the Owls; but, Etienne only made one of two free throws for a 59-57 PV lead. The Owls failed to score until Shafer was fouled with 3.4 seconds left. Shafer missed the first free throw; but, she made the second attempt. Etienne was fouled and made two foul shots for the final score.

"I told the girls when I first went into the locker room that we did everything wrong to lose this game," said Toyelle Wilson, Prairie View A&M head coach. "Everything wrong. But, I've got to remember that we had four freshmen on the floor at one time. We have eight new players. I'm living with the growing pains; but, they prevailed. They came out with the win. We missed some free throws; but, made the ones that counted."

Coach Wilson appreciates the fact her squad defeated another Houston area team.

"Of course, it helps with recruiting. We won their Tournament last year," Coach Wilson stated. "Rice, it took them a few times, they didn't want to come out here and play us; but, we begged them and begged them and they ended up coming out.

"I'm happy the school came out to support us. The alumni, faculty, staff, and family and friends coming to see our girls in the opening game. They did well."