AUM News
LaKenya Drayton picked up her team-leading seventh double-double of the season on Saturday.
LaKenya Drayton picked up her team-leading seventh double-double of the season on Saturday.
Women's Basketball - Sat. Feb. 09, 2013
Box Score

JACKSON, Miss. ---- Psachal Maize scored 16 points and LaKenya Drayton added 12 points and 10 rebounds, but it was not enough for the Auburn Montgomery women's basketball team, as the Warhawks fell 55-51 at Belhaven.

The loss was the second Southern States Athletic Conference setback in a row for AUM, dropping the team to 18-7 (10-4 SSAC). Belhaven snapped a three-game losing streak and moved to 10-15 (7-7).

We are a soft basketball team right now playing like it's November," head coach Dan Davis said. "We've shown no urgency in these past two games. We're going to find out what this team is really made of in the next 2-3 weeks."

Neither team led by more than three points throughout the first half. A jumper by Maize gave AUM a 26-25 lead with 24 seconds remaining. That turned out to be the last advantage of the game for the Warhawks. Belhaven forward Alisha Rayborn hit a jumper with one second left, starting what would turn into an 18-5 run for the Blazers.

The Warhawks battled back, decreasing the deficit to two points on two separate occasions in the closing minutes. The second of these came on two free throws from Ashley Rush with 1:57 remaining, making the score 53-51 Belhaven.

AUM would never score again, missing three shots to tie the game in the closing seconds before Rayborn hit two free throws with a second left to close out the scoring. Rayborn had 16 points for Belhaven, while Ashley Wakefield led the Blazers with 17 points.

Rush finished with eight points in her first start of the season. Drayton added three blocks in addition to earning her seventh double-double of the season. Maize has now scored in double figures in seven of her last nine games.

Belhaven made 42.3 percent of its shots from the field, compared to 39.2 percent by the Warhawks. The Blazers had a 35-30 edge in rebounds, including a 15-10 advantage in offensive boards.

AUM looks to get back on track Thursday at home against Spring Hill. The Badgers (11-14, 7-8) upset the Warhawks 66-59 in Mobile last month. Thursday's contest, which begins at 5:30 p.m., will be AUM's annual Pink Zone game in support of breast cancer awareness.