HUNTSVILLE, Ala. –The University of West Alabama opened the second half with a 16-4 run to break open a deadlock 27-27 tie at halftime en route to a 73-58 win over Alabama in Huntsville at UAH’s Spragins on Monday night.  With the win, UWA inches closer to securing a spot in the Gulf South Conference Women’s Tournament and moved back into a tie for second place in the GSC East.

UWA took the lead with the opening basket of the second half and never looked back as the Tigers marched out to their first double-digit lead on senior Ashton Washington’s basket at the 13:56 mark.  The basket by the Lexington, Miss.-native was one of her 14 points, nine coming in the final 20 minutes.  With her point total against UAH, senior Ashton Washington became the fifth player in UWA women’s basketball history to reach the 1,000 career point total in the Red and White.  She currently has 1,001 career points to her credit.  UWA took command of the pivotal GSC contest, extending its lead out to as many as 19 points with just over three minutes before the final horn.  UWA finished the second half shooting 56 percent from the field while clamping down on the Lady Chargers, who only mustered up 31 percent from the field in the final half.

The first half featured six ties and eight lead changes and UWA’s largest lead in the first stanza was at 21-17 with 4:14 left before the halftime intermission.  The Tigers first half offensive charge was led by senior Jessica Thompson, who scored ten of her game-high 20 points in the opening frame.  Thompson drained five of her ten shots from beyond the arc and was 3-of-4 from the free throw line. 

Junior Valerie Harris came off the bench to register 17 points and eight rebounds in the win. 

The Tigers return to the hardwood on Saturday, Feb. 23, hosting No. 14 Valdosta State in a battle for second place out-right. Tip off is set for 2 p.m. at Pruitt Hall on the UWA campus.