ITTA BENA, Miss. (Women's Basketball) -  The Mississippi Valley State women's basketball team bypassed the Lady Panthers of Prairie View A & M University in the R. W. Harrison Complex, improving to 3-3 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play.

With intense action and a roaring crowd, the game was a sight to beyond. Both teams were neck and neck in search of their third SWAC victory. Although, the first point came from Prairie View at the free throw line, Kristy Parker responded with a butter in a hot pan layup to give Mississippi Valley a 2-1 lead. Ashley Beals' team work with Kenya Arnold led to an outstanding layup for two-points. Beals scored the next points for MVSU, taking the Devilettes up 6-1, with 8:52 remaining in the first. MVSU held PVAMU to one point until 8:08, when the Lady Panthers were able to score an additional two points. Exiting the first, the score was knotted at 13-all.

From the beginning of the second, MVSU's defense returned with fire in their hearts and their eyes set on a victory. Prairie View was able to score the opening points for a two-point advantage, however a Beals responded for Mississippi Valley with a free throw. Kenya Hailey's free throw tied up the contest at 15-all. Beals knocked down both shots from the charity stripe to take the Devilettes up by two. At halftime the game was once again tied at 25-25, meaning the second half would make or break someone's chances of winning.

Entering into the third quarter, Beals was once again at the free throw line. She made one of two to reclaim the lead for MVSU. A layup by PVAMU, followed by Beals at the line once again led to a dead locked contest (27-27) with 6:24 remaining in the quarter. The Lady Panthers went up by four before Hailey was able to close the gap to two, with a layup. The Devilettes went on an amazing run to close the period up 46-39.

The fourth was a battle of wills that Mississippi Valley dominated. Prairie View scored the first basket of the final period to lessen the Devilettes' lead. A layup by Beals extended Mississippi Valley's lead back to seven. A three-pointer by PVAMU closed the point deficit to four. A layup by Arnold was right on time and target for the Devilettes to push the team closer to the victory. The Lady Panthers never gave up, however Mississippi Valley proved to be too hot to handle.

Beals finished with 28-points, nine rebounds, two assists and one steal, while Hailey (Kenya) tallied 19-points, five rebounds and one assist. Parker put up 11-points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal.

The Devilettes will be back in action on Monday, January 23, when they host the Lady Tigers of Texas Southern University at 5:00 p.m.