ELIZABETH CITY, NC -- The Shaw women's basketball team busted open a 41-41 tie to end the third quarter and knocked off the Elizabeth City State Vikings 55-54 on the road Saturday in the final game of the regular season.

The Lady Bears (15-13, 8-8 CIAA) had three players score in double figures, led by Inari Jones, who had 15 points and eight rebounds. Tanayja London added 13 points, nine rebounds and three steals and Brittiney Seymour helped out with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Shaw pulled down 35 rebounds in Saturday's game compared to Elizabeth City State's 23, led by London's nine boards.

The Shaw defense was a problem in Saturday's game, forcing 15 Elizabeth City State turnovers. Those takeaways turned into 10 points on the other end of the floor. London's three steals led the way individually for the Lady Bears.

How It Happened

Shaw kept it close in the first quarter, but entered the second frame down 12-9.

Shaw then started off the second quarter by going on a 9-0 run to take an 18-12 lead. The Lady Bears proceeded to tack on two points to that lead and enjoyed a 29-21 advantage heading into halftime. Shaw forced seven Elizabeth City State turnovers in the period and turned them into eight points.

The Lady Bears had lost that lead by the end of the third quarter and entered the fourth frame with the score tied 41-41. Shaw played well near the basket, scoring eight of its 12 points in the paint.

Shaw kept it close before going on a 5-0 run, finished off by Seymour's layup, to seize a 51-46 lead with 4:46 to go in the contest. The Vikings narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Lady Bears still held on for the 55-54 win. Shaw took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring eight of its 14 points in the paint.

Game Notes

» The Lady Bears outscored Elizabeth City State 14-13 in the fourth quarter to break a 41-41 third quarter tie.
» The Lady Bears held the Vikings to only 33.9 percent shooting from the field.
» Shaw had a 35-23 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Shaw defense forced 15 turnovers.
» Inari Jones led the Lady Bears with a game-high 15 points.
» Shaw got a game-high nine rebounds from Tanayja London.

Up Next
The Lady Bears will await the announcement of the CIAA Tournament bracket to find out who their opponent is next week. Shaw will be seeded sixth.