JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln women's basketball team closed its 2022-23 home slate with one of its best performances of the season, shooting .413 from the field while forcing 15 turnovers in a 75-71 win over Emporia State on Saturday (Feb. 18). The win, combined with a victory over the Lady Hornets on Jan. 5, gives LU a sweep over ESU for its first sweep of an MIAA double-header since beating Northwest Missouri twice in 2018-19.

Ashlyn Alloway led all players with 28 points, 11 rebounds and five steals, and Aliyah Bello finished with 17 points, eight boards and five assists. Niyah Jackson also dished five assists and tallied nine points, two rebounds and a block.

The game was back-and-forth for most of the first half, with a jumper by Saniya Simmons tying the game at 18 to end the first period. After a trey by Emporia State (13-13, 8-12 MIAA) knotted the score up at 30 with 4:01 until halftime, Lincoln (6-20, 4-16 MIAA) went on a 5-0 run keyed by a pair of Alloway free throws and a three-pointer by Bello. AJ Bradley made a trey, one of eight on the day for LU, just before halftime to put Lincoln ahead, 39-32, at the break.

The Blue Tigers shot .476 from the floor in the third quarter, taking an 11-point lead with 5:07 left in the period. The Lady Hornets refused to go away, though, and fought back to tie the game at 63 midway through the fourth quarter. Jackson made a three, however, and Lincoln would never trail afterwards, as ESU came no closer than within one point the rest of the way. Lincoln held Emporia State to .356 shooting overall and .217 from three-point range, and also finished with a 47-43 edge in rebounding.

Miriam Bazylewicz provided eight points and five rebounds, and Bradley scored eight to go with four assists, two boards and a pair of steals. Kelsey Mitchell supplied three points, seven rebounds and two assists, and also blocked two shots. Simmons rounded out Lincoln with two points, three assists, three boards and three steals.

The game was Senior Day for Lincoln, and a special ceremony was held after the game to recognize Jackson, Mitchell, Le'Yanna McGinnis, and team manager Bailey Lewis.

Lincoln has two more games remaining in the regular season, the first of which will be played on Thursday (Feb. 23) in Tahlequah, Okla. against Northeastern State.