BIRMINGHAM, AL – Senior forward Shekiya Tarpkins (Social Circle, GA) led the Fort Valley State University Lady Wildcats in scoring with a game-high 33 points in the 67-61 win over Tuskegee University Tuesday afternoon in the first round of the SIAC Basketball Tournament in Birmingham.
 
The Lady Wildcats improved its overall record to 9-16. Tuskegee ended their season with an overall record of 10-16.
 
The two teams split during regular season play with Tuskegee winning 71-67 at Tuskegee and FVSU picking off the Lady Tigers at home 77-65.
 
Tarpkins' 33 points made the fourth time this season that she has scored 30 points or more. She scored on 13-of-22 shots from the field, made 7-of-11 free throws, had eight rebounds, three assists, blocked one shot, and had five steals in over 36 minutes of play. Senior center Briunca Caldwell grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and eight points, while freshman point guard Daknequa White added 13 points, three rebounds and three steals.
 
FVSU forced the Lady Tigers into 28 turnovers and out rebounded Tuskegee 43-38. The Lady Wildcats gained 22 points off Tuskegee's turnovers and another 26 points in the paint.
 
Rachel Brownlee led Tuskegee in scoring with 21 points and Jade Wilson had eight boards.
 
FVSU hit 22-of-58 (37.9%) shots from the floor, made 23-of-39 (59.0 %) foul shots, while going 0-of-12 from behind the arc. The teams tied the game seven time and lead changed seven time.
 
Tuskegee scored on 19-of-50 (38.0%) baskets, 4-of-12 (33.3%) three pointers and hit 19-of-31 (61.3%) free throws.
 
Tuskegee ended the third quarter up by 8 (51-43) but Tarpkins' layup with 5:45 to go tied the game at 51-51. Then her jumper gave FVSU a 2 (53-51) point advantage with 4:05 left. Brownlee's free throws tied the game once again for the seventh time 53-53. After the seventh tie, FVSU's freshman forward Raynesha Clay's foul shot increased the lead by 8 (63-55) with 1:02 remaining. Tarpkins' free throw completed the scoring and the win at 67-61.
 
Tuskegee jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the first quarter, before Caldwell's jumper at the 4:35 mark tied the game at 7-7. Tuskegee's Rachel Brownlee's jumper put the Lady Tigers back up by 7 (16-9). Freshman guard Nola Carter's layup cut the score to 1 (16-15) with eight seconds left in the quarter.
 
With less than one minute into the second quarter FVSU's freshman point guard Alicia Franklin layup would give the Lady Wildcats their first lead 17-16. The Lady Tigers would end the quarter up 33-30.
 
The Lady Wildcats will face the Lady Bears of Miles College on Thursday, March 2 in the quarterfinals round at 1 p.m.