Lady Lions Rally Past Gadsden State, 61-52, in Key Conference Win

HANCEVILLE — The Wallace State Community College women's basketball team used a strong second-half push and dominant rebounding effort to secure a 61-52 conference victory over Gadsden State and improve to 23-1 overall and 8-1 in conference play on Monday at Traditions Bank Arena.

Trailing by as many as nine points in the first half, the Lady Lions showed resilience and composure, battling back to take control late and close out the win with solid defense and clutch free-throw shooting.

Wallace State found itself down 13-9 after the first quarter despite an early spark from Kameron Sanders, who scored seven points in the opening frame. The Lady Lions continued to struggle offensively early in the second quarter and fell behind 25-16 before responding with an 11-3 run to close the half. Leah Childress led the surge with six points, helping Wallace State trim the deficit to 28-27 at the break.

The second half featured a back-and-forth battle, but the Lady Lions began to assert themselves in the third quarter. Zamyra Goode delivered a key stretch with six points and three rebounds, helping Wallace State edge ahead 40-39 entering the final period.

In the fourth quarter, Wallace State leaned on its defense and rebounding to maintain control. Despite a push from Gadsden State, the Lady Lions executed down the stretch, converting free throws and limiting second-chance opportunities to secure the nine-point victory.

Sanders led the way with a double-double, finishing with 15 points, 10 rebounds, three steals, and a block. Goode added 14 points and 11 rebounds for another double-double, giving Wallace State a strong inside presence on both ends of the floor.

Childress contributed nine points, seven rebounds, and two blocks, while Heather Tetro added nine points to provide timely scoring. Idaysia Mercer orchestrated the offense with nine assists to go along with seven points, helping the Lady Lions generate quality looks throughout the game.

Wallace State dominated the glass, outrebounding Gadsden State 41-28, a key factor in controlling the tempo and limiting second-chance opportunities. The Lady Lions also showed improved ball movement, recording 11 assists on 23 made baskets.