Top-seeded Wallace State women eliminated by Gadsden State in ACCC/Region 22 tournament semifinal

HANCEVILLE – Top-seeded Wallace State was knocked off by Gadsden State, 70-45, in the women’s Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC)/Region 22 basketball tournament semifinal on Tuesday night.
Gadsden State’s Lacey Buchanon, the conference’s leading scorer, fueled the Lady Cardinals with a game-high 22 points to send her team to Wednesday’s championship game against Shelton State. The contest is set for 7 p.m. at Wallace State’s Tom Drake Coliseum.
Wallace State’s women had a fantastic season come to an end a little earlier than planned. The Lady Lions earned the tournament’s top seed after putting together one of the best seasons in the program’s history, winning the ACCC North Division championship by one game and reeling off wins in 18 of 19 games at one point.
Wallace State closes the season at 27-5.
Wallace State’s lone conference loss in the regular season was to Gadsden State, and the third-seeded Lady Cardinals struck again on Tuesday, winning their eighth game in a row to improve to 28-5.
Gadsden State jumped out to a 21-13 lead with 8:13 remaining in the first quarter and maintained a 31-22 advantage at the half.
Less than five minutes into the second half, Wallace State trimmed the deficit to 35-29 on a Jasmine Coleman free throw, but Gadsden State answered with a 12-2 run to extend its cushion to 47-31. Wallace State was never able to get any closer.
Coleman tallied her fifth double-double of the season for Wallace State in the loss, scoring 15 points and collecting 15 rebounds. Morgan Pearson added nine points off the bench.
Sarah Garner scored 10 for Gadsden State, while Carla Clemmons added nine off the bench.
Wallace State, which led the conference in 3-pointers made this season, shot only 3 of 22 from behind the 3-point arc on Tuesday after draining 11 in a quarterfinal win over Lawson State a night earlier. The Lady Lions shot 26 percent overall.
Coleman, Pearson, Jaylan Snowden, Hannah Sharp, Brandee Busenlehner and DeAndrea Carter were Wallace State’s sophomores this season.
The men’s ACCC/Region 22 tournament begins Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Wallace State. Four men’s games are scheduled before culminating the night with the women’s championship at 7. Wallace State’s men have a bye until Thursday at 7 p.m.
Tournament brackets and information can be accessed at wallacestate.edu/accctourney or at acccathletics.com.

Wallace State freshman forward Morgan Smith, right, tries to dribble past Gadsden State’s Shuntece Catlin in their game Tuesday night.
 

###
______________________________
Russell Moore
Staff Writer
Wallace State Community College
P.O. Box 2000, Hanceville, AL 35077
1-866-350-9722    256-352-8443 direct
256-339-2422 cell
Visit us online at www.wallacestate.edu