Dillard Falls to Tougaloo on the Road

Tougaloo, MS (Jan 8, 2026) — Tougaloo College used a dominant second quarter and timely three-point shooting to hold off a late Dillard University push, earning a 71–64 win in HBCUAC play.

Tougaloo set the tone early and steadily built control of the game behind a balanced attack and efficient perimeter scoring.

- 1st Quarter: Tougaloo 17, Dillard 14
- 2nd Quarter: Tougaloo 27, Dillard 17 (key swing)
- Halftime: Tougaloo led 44–31 
- 3rd Quarter: Tougaloo 17, Dillard 13 (lead held at 61–44)
- 4th Quarter:Dillard rallied 20–10, but Tougaloo closed out the win
- Final: Tougaloo 71, Dillard 64

Dillard's 20-point fourth quarter trimmed what had been a 17-point deficit after three, but the early hole proved too large.

 Key performers
Tougaloo College
- Maia Turner sparked the offense off the bench with 18 points, hitting 5-of-8 from three.
- Shalayne Morgan led the starters with 16 points, adding defensive activity (3 steals, 1 block).
- Lauren Sutton posted an efficient 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting and added 4 assists.
- Brayland Ferguson contributed a physical interior line: 11 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks, helping Tougaloo survive Dillard's rebounding pressure.

Dillard University
- D'Mya Ferguson powered Dillard with 15 points and 15 rebounds (including 12 offensive boards), consistently creating second chances.
- Azaria Knox added 11 points and a team-high 7 assists, though she also faced heavy ball-pressure (7 turnovers).
- Kayla Terry scored 13 points with 11 rebounds, giving Dillard a second strong presence on the glass.
- Kiara Howard provided perimeter scoring with 13 points, knocking down 3 threes.

 Team Stats
- Three-point shooting: Tougaloo 8-of-17 (47.1%) vs. Dillard 4-of-19 (21.1%) 
Tougaloo's efficiency from deep—especially Turner's burst—was a major separator.
- Overall shooting:Tougaloo 42.6% vs. Dillard 33.3%
Dillard generated volume (75 shot attempts) but struggled to convert.
- Turnovers: Tougaloo 23, Dillard 20
Both teams were sloppy at times, but Tougaloo's shot-making offset giveaways.
- Rebounding: Dillard 39, Tougaloo 37 (Dillard 19 offensive rebounds)
Dillard controlled the offensive glass and used it to fuel the fourth-quarter comeback attempt, but couldn't fully overcome the earlier scoring gap.

Tougaloo's decisive 27-point second quarter and sharp three-point shooting built a cushion that withstood Dillard's late surge. Dillard's rebounding edge and fourth-quarter push made it interesting, but Tougaloo's balanced scoring and perimeter efficiency delivered the 71–64 conference win.

-Bleu Devils-