Lady Demons advance to 2nd round of SLC Tourney with 66-63 win over TAMU-CC

Photo by Darla Tamulitis-La Vita Loco Photography
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

LAKE CHARLES, LOUSIANA (March 10, 2025) The Northwestern State Lady Demons secured a thrilling 66-63 victory over the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders in the first round of the Jersey Mike's Southland Conference Basketball Championships. This win marked Northwestern State's first tournament triumph since 2015, propelling them into the second round to face No. 4 seed Incarnate Word on Tuesday at 11 a.m. on ESPN+.

The Lady Demons were led by standout performances from their key players. Sharna Ayres (shown above) delivered an impressive 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds, shooting 6-of-18 from the field, including 6-of-11 from three-point range. Vernell Atamah contributed 18 points and six rebounds, while Mya Blake added 18 points and seven assists.

Northwestern State came out strong in the first quarter, establishing a 21-11 lead, thanks in part to Ayres' hot shooting, which included four first-half three-pointers. However, the Islanders tightened their defense in the second quarter, forcing 12 turnovers and narrowing the gap to a 26-24 halftime deficit.

In the second half, Blake took charge for the Lady Demons, scoring 12 of her 18 points after the break. Despite a late surge from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, which cut the deficit to one point in the final minute, clutch free throws from Atamah sealed the win for Northwestern State.

The Islanders were led by Paige Allen, who scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds. Mireia Aguado added 12 points, and Nabaweeyah McGill contributed nine points and four rebounds