Golden Lions Edge Devilettes 68-66 in Thrilling Finish.

In a competitive matchup on Thursday night, the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions narrowly defeated the Mississippi Valley State Devilettes, showcasing a balanced scoring effort despite a rough shooting night. The final box score reflected a hard-fought contest, with both teams displaying tenacity on the boards and in transition. For the Golden Lions, Indiya Bowen led the charge with 21 points on 5-of-16 shooting, including 10-of-11 from the free-throw line. Bowen added five rebounds and three assists in 35 minutes of action. Jasmine Davis provided a strong scoring punch as well, pouring in 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting while grabbing six rebounds. Jailah Pelly contributed 11 points and five rebounds, also tallying five steals in a standout defensive performance. Bench contributions were notable as Tyra Taylor logged 11 points and a team-high 10 rebounds, showing dominance inside despite limited scoring. The Golden Lions finished the game shooting 36% from the field, 14% from three-point range, and 75% from the free-throw line, converting 15 of 20 free throws. They controlled the glass with 46 rebounds, including 20 on the offensive end.

The Devilettes were paced by Ariel Jefferson, who scored a team-high 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting and pulled down 10 rebounds. Nairobi Lewis added 13 points and seven boards, while Jaeda Murphy tallied 11 points and six assists. Mississippi Valley State struggled with turnovers, committing 24 in the contest, and managed only 35% shooting from the field. Their bench saw a spark from Janiya Jones, who scored 11 points, including 3-of-6 from three, in 17 minutes of play.

Despite the shooting struggles, both teams battled fiercely in the paint, with the Golden Lions holding a slight edge in rebounds and forcing key turnovers. Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s defensive intensity, particularly the 16 steals generated by their starters, proved decisive in securing the win. The final line: Arkansas-Pine Bluff 68, Mississippi Valley State 66. The Golden Lions improve their record with a gritty performance, while the Devilettes look to tighten up ball control in their next outing.

Box Score Highlights (Team Totals)

Team	FG	3PT	FT	REB	AST	TO	STL	BLK	PF
UAPB	25-70	3-21	15-20	46	16	18	16	2	20
MVSU	22-62	6-20	16-25	47	11	24	12	3	35