MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of West Alabama women’s basketball team dropped a 72-56 decision at Canale Arena on the campus of Christian Brothers on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Valerie Harris led UWA (2-6) with 20 points, one shy of tying a career-high.

Keiara Middleton also posted double digits on the night with 10 points. Middleton, a Birmingham, Ala.-native, also led the Tigers on the boards with five.

CBU (4-3) shot 48.4-percent from the floor on the night, as compared to UWA’s 38.9-percent, and outrebounded the Tigers 39-23.

UWA opened the second half with an 8-2 run over the first three minutes to gain a 38-36 lead, capped by Middleton’s layup. The Tigers held the lead until a layup by Sheila DeBose gave CBU a 44-43 lead with 13:13 remaining. UWA tied the game at 46-46 on an old fashioned three point play by Harris, but an 11-3 push by CBU gave the Lady Bucs the first double digit lead of the game, 57-46, and they never looked back.

After trailing 6-3 in the early going, UWA grabbed its first lead of the game behind a 4-0 spurt to gain a 7-6 advantage in the contest. The two teams exchanged leads until an 8-0 run by the Lady Bucs gave CBU a 22-16 lead. The Red and White narrowed the margin to 32-30 behind a 9-0 push, but a jumper by Katie Hume, as the buzzer sounded for the intermission, gave CBU a 34-30 lead at the half.

West Alabama returns to action on Monday, Dec. 15, as UWA takes part in the Delta State hosted Lloyd Clark Classic in Cleveland, Miss. The Tigers face DSU in day one of the classic in a 5:00 p.m. encounter.