PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas- The Prairie A&M University women's basketball team was victorious on Monday evening defeating the Lady Bulldogs of Alabama A&M University 84-73 at the William J. Nicks Arena to close out the home regular season. 
 
Shala Dobbins led all scorers with 29 points on 7 of 16 shooting from the floor and 14-16 shooting from the free throw line. Dominique Newman filled up the stat sheet, tallying 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists and three steals, while Talisha Presley added a career high 21 points on 60 percent shooting from beyond the three-point arc in 31 minutes of game action.
 
The Lady Panthers broke slow out of the gates falling behind 6-0 in the early going.  PVAMU responded outscoring the Lady Bulldogs 8-2 in the following minutes to tie the game at 8-all with 5:10 to go in the opening quarter.  The run was keyed by baskets from Dobbins, Jhyrah Cobb, La'Neique Nealey, and Chelsea Tieuel.  Prairie View took a two-point lead on a Jordyn Penniman layup with a little more than two minutes remaining in the period. The teams continued to battle as the quarter neared its conclusion, a converted Dobbins three point attempt made the score 19-17 at the end of the first.
 
Prairie View struggled early in the second quarter, as Alabama A&M outscored the Lady Panthers 9-4 in the opening minutes of the period. PVAMU showed some grit cutting into the lead, going on an 8-0 scoring run, taking possession of the lead on a Newman three pointer. With 3:06 left to go in the first half the Lady Panthers led 29-28. Prairie View A&&M would not relinquish the lead as the half wounded down, getting strong play on both ends of the floor from Cobb, Presley, Dobbins and Newman. Going into halftime with the Purple and Gold holding a 37-34 advantage.
 
The teams traded baskets as the second half began, but the Lady Panthers went on a 9-0 run to take a 47-38 lead with 5:16 left to go in the third quarter. The run was keyed by timely baskets from Cobb, Dobbins, and Newman with Prairie View leading by one with three minutes to go in the period. The remainder of the quarter was a back and forth affair, with both squads trading baskets. As the final quarter was set to begin, the Lady Panthers were clinging to a 55-53 lead.
 
The game remained highly competitive with the teams trading baskets as the final 10 minutes of play began. A Presley three-pointer found the bottom of the net to give Prairie View a four-point lead with less than eight minutes to go. Presley had the hot hand in the quarter, nailing two more jumpers from downtown in the following minutes giving PVAMU an 11-point lead with 5:35 remaining. Alabama A&M was able to cut the lead to eight in the final minutes, but were unable to get any closer as the Purple and Gold closed the game with quality play on both ends of the floor. 
 
The teams traded baskets during the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, but the Panthers still lead by as many as eight midway through the quarter. With 6:33 to go in the contest PVAMU led 61-53. AAMU clawed their way back into the game in the following minutes, eventually cutting the lead to 66-63 with a minute to go in regulation.  The Lady Panthers buckled down defensively in the final minute, and a pair of converted Dobbins free throws put the game away for the Purple and Gold.
 
The Lady Panthers will return to the hardwood on Thursday March 1^st in Lorman, Miss. to take on Alcorn State. Tipoff is set for 7:30 pm.
 
 
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