Dolls scores 25, but Paul Quinn falls to Huston-Tillotson in tight HBCUAC battle
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Tamia Dolls scored a game-high 25 points, but Paul Quinn came up just short Saturday afternoon, falling 80-78 to Huston-Tillotson in a closely contested HBCU Athletic Conference matchup at Branch Gymnasium.
Paul Quinn (14-8, 8-3 HBCUAC) erased an early double-digit deficit and briefly seized momentum in the second half before Huston-Tillotson held on in the final minutes to secure the win.
Dolls led the Tigers' offensive effort, knocking down five 3-pointers and converting 8 of 9 free throws while adding six rebounds and two steals in 39 minutes. Zaire Brown delivered a strong interior performance with 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, recording a double-double while anchoring Paul Quinn's presence in the paint.
Canai McPherson added 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Tigers, while Emery Black contributed 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Jamie Walker finished with nine points as Paul Quinn shot 35.7% from the field but stayed within striking distance by converting 21 free throws and forcing turnovers that led to 22 points.
Huston-Tillotson (7-12, 3-8 HBCUAC) built a 28-17 lead after the opening quarter behind hot perimeter shooting and carried a nine-point advantage into halftime. Paul Quinn responded with a strong third quarter, outscoring the Rams 22-14 to take control of the game's tempo heading into the final period.
Wilashia Burleson paced Huston-Tillotson with 27 points and 16 rebounds, while Jade Hilliary added 21 points, including seven 3-pointers. Destiny Stanford chipped in 12 points for the Rams, who shot 41.4% from beyond the arc and finished with 21 assists.
Paul Quinn matched Huston-Tillotson with 30 points in the paint and generated 14 second-chance points, but the Rams capitalized on early scoring runs and late execution to preserve the narrow victory.
The Tigers will look to rebound in their next conference contest as the HBCUAC regular-season race continues to tighten.