LAKE CHARLES, LA --Gerlyn Smith pulled down 11 rebounds and Amauri Williams added 10 more, and the Prairie View A&M women's basketball team knocked off the McNeese Cowgirls 85-70 on the road Sunday.

Smith and Williams' fantastic rebounding performances led the Panthers (2-0) in the contest. Smith tacked on 16 points and two steals and Williams added nine points. Ryann Payne also helped out with 18 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

Prairie View A&M out-rebounded McNeese 48-39 in Sunday's game, paced by Smith's 11 boards. The Panthers also collected 18 offensive rebounds and scored 15 second-chance points.

Prairie View A&M forced 22 McNeese turnovers while committing 15 themselves in Sunday's game. The Panthers turned those takeaways into 23 points on the other end of the floor. Smith's two steals led the way for Prairie View A&M.

How It Happened

After falling behind 8-4, Prairie View A&M went on a 6-0 run with 5:43 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Lafaedria Green, to take a 10-8 lead. The Panthers then added two points to that lead by the end of the period and entered the quarter-break with a 19-15 advantage. Prairie View A&M did most of its first-quarter damage in the paint, scoring 16 of its 19 points close to the basket.

Prairie View A&M kept its first quarter lead intact before going on a 6-0 run starting at the 1:05 mark in the second period, highlighted by a bucket from Payne, to increase its lead to 42-32, a score that would hold until halftime. Prairie View A&M dominated in the paint, scoring 14 of its 23 points close to the basket.

Prairie View A&M continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 6-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Smith, to expand its lead further to 52-36 with 5:33 to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Cowgirls had cut into that lead somewhat, but the Panthers still entered the fourth quarter with a 64-50 edge. Prairie View A&M played well near the basket, scoring 16 of its 22 points in the paint.

The Panthers coasted to the win from there, increasing their margin of victory by outscoring the Cowgirls 21-20 in the fourth quarter. Prairie View A&M took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring 20 of its 21 points in the paint.

Game Notes

» Gerlyn Smith notched a double-double for the Panthers with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
» The Panthers held the Cowgirls to only 40 percent shooting from the field.
» The Panthers never trailed after taking a 19-15 first-quarter lead.
» Prairie View A&M recorded 20 total assists in the game.
» The Prairie View A&M bench made an impact by adding 44 points to its scoring output.
» Gerlyn Smith and Jada Roberson came off the bench to score 16 and 12 points, respectively.
» Prairie View A&M had a 48-39 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Prairie View A&M defense forced 22 turnovers.
» Prairie View A&M cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 18 offensive boards in the game.
» Ryann Payne led the Panthers with a game-high 18 points.
» Gerlyn Smith grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Prairie View A&M and Amauri Williams contributed 10.