Albany State women’s basketball team advances to final four in conference tournament

ROCK HILL, Ga. (WALB) -Survive and Advance.

The Lady Rams from Albany State are doing just that as they punch their ticket to the final four inside the SIAC Tournament. The Lady Rams took down Lane College 68-57 in the elite eight in the conference tournament to advance to the semi-finals.

The Rams would put up 18 points in the fourth quarter to keep the lead out of reach of the Dragons.

ASU would battle for the lead early, but in the second half, Lane couldn’t keep pace. There’s nothing like basketball in March and Head Coach Robert Skinner said his team is clicking at just the right time.

“I think they’re pretty much buying into what we’re telling them. They’re listening more and they’re understanding more. There are some intangibles that we had to work on at the end of the season and I think we were able to do that. So, I think with their buy-in to what we’re doing and their desire to win in the month of March it’s made a difference. It’s made a difference,” said Skinner.

The Rams will meet a familiar foe Friday afternoon in Savannah State. The Tigers are the top-ranked team in the conference and have defeated the Rams twice this season.

Coach Skinner will say their latest game against Savannah shows they’re an ascending team.

During this tournament, ASU’s scoring has taken off coach Skinner said they’ll need to maintain Friday. He said the key to winning Friday starts in the locker room.

”I believe we are ambitious enough, we have that desire, and drive, so we aren’t going to rest where we are. We’re going to go ahead and play this thing out. We’re going to give it 100% tomorrow. We have to have the faith to believe we can do it. And regardless of what I’m telling them, they have to believe it themselves. So, I think if we can do those two things along with the ordinary basketball things play defense, get rebounds, make shots, I think we have a chance. I think we have a chance,” said Skinner.

Albany State and Savannah State tip-off Friday at noon from Rock Hill South Carolina.