ALEXANDRIA, La. — North American University put together a gritty road performance Thursday evening but could not overcome a decisive third-quarter surge by LSU Alexandria, falling 81–74 at The Fort on January 22.

The Lady Stallions (9-6, 7-6) battled toe-to-toe with the Generals (8-10, 7-6) through the first half, as neither team led by more than four points. North American closed the opening quarter with an 18–17 edge and went into halftime deadlocked at 35–35 after matching baskets and strong interior play on both ends.

LSUA came out of the locker room with renewed purpose in the third quarter, outscoring North American 26–9. The Generals knocked down timely shots from the perimeter while controlling the glass, building a cushion that proved pivotal down the stretch.

Still, the Lady Stallions showed heart and resolve in the fourth. North American poured in 30 points over the final 10 minutes, trimming what once was a double-digit deficit to single digits late. The comeback effort was fueled by aggressive defense, trips to the free-throw line, and fearless shot-making, but LSU Alexandria answered at the line to seal the outcome.

Junior guard Jerkayla Dickey delivered a standout performance for North American, pouring in a game-high 26 points while going 13-of-16 from the free-throw line. Dickey also added four assists, four steals, and two blocks, filling up the stat sheet and igniting the late rally. Savannah Velazquez chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds, while Akyra Hodges provided a spark off the bench with eight points and three steals.

The Lady Stallions won the rebounding battle on the offensive end and forced 30 LSUA turnovers, but LSU Alexandria shot 48.5 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from beyond the arc, with five players scoring in double figures. Justice Young led the Generals with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

North American will take the lessons from this hard-fought contest and prepare for the next chapter of conference play, continuing the journey with faith, fight, and forward focus.

— Rev. Justin C. Jackson
Sports Information Director
North American University