Box Score
MONTICELLO, Ark. – The Cotton Blossoms pulled out a gritty 74-67 win tonight over the University of New Orleans.

UAM (2-2) overcame a rough night shooting with 25 points at the foul line to stay one step ahead of the Privateers (0-5) in the second game of the 2011 UAM Hampton Inn Classic. Both teams were neck-and-neck all night long, as there were seven ties and eleven separate lead changes.

The largest lead for either team was just eight points all night. UNO led 4-12 early on after a sluggish start by the Blossoms, and UAM led 56-48 with just over seven and a half minutes to play in the game.

After the slow start, UAM rattled off eight-straight points to keep things knotted up early on. They then closed the half on a 7-0 run sparked by a Jasmine Rush three pointer which tied the score at 33 and finished by Catherine Puckett hitting a pair of free throws in the last two minutes of the half to send the Blossoms into the locker room up 40-33 at the break.

After halftime it was the Privateers’ turn to go on a run, as they opened the half on a 9-2 run to retie the score at 42 just under five minutes into the new half. Down 45-46 with 11:22 remaining in the game, Channon Haywood knocked down a jumper down low to give UAM the lead back, 47-46, and the Blossoms did not trail again.

Neither team shot particularly well on the night. The Blossoms were 21-of-60 from the floor (35-percent) and just 7-of-22 from three (32-percent). UNO shot 46-percent from the floor and 42-percent from three, but it was at the foul line that the Blossoms pulled away. UAM hit 25-of-32 attempts from the line tonight, compared to just 4-of-12 for the Privateers.

Chelsea Johnson led the way for the Blossoms tonight with 22 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Channon Haywood had 19 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks. Mirjam Sipos led UNO with 18 points while Keri Thomas had the game’s sole double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

The Blossoms will return to action tomorrow afternoon in the final game of the 2011 UAM Hampton Inn Classic as they take on the 20^th-ranked Central Oklahoma Bronchos in a 2:00 p.m. start.

The Bronchos defeated Ouachita Baptist in the first game of the Classic 76-58.