CLINTON, Miss. – LSU Eunice women's basketball used a career-high 22 points from Alona Washington (Gonzales, LA, Ascension Christian HS) to help propel the Bengals to a 71-66 victory on Wednesday in the first round of the Region 23 Tournament at A.E. Wood Coliseum.  LSUE (21-6) advances to Thursday's Region 23 semifinals where it will face three-time reigning Region 23 Tournament champion Jones College.
 
It is the Bengals' first postseason win since March 6, 2009 when LSUE defeated Johnson County JC in the Division II District B Tournament.  The win is also the program's seventh postseason victory all-time.
 
LSUE would score a wire-to-wire victory thanks to storming out to a 25-13 first quarter advantage.  The Bears would claw back to within three points on two separate occasions in the third quarter before the Bengals would push ahead for good.
 
Washington was part of a balanced first quarter attack to push ahead with five players scoring four points or more in the frame.  Southwest Mississippi would respond with a stout defensive effort in the second quarter, holding LSUE to just 10 points and cutting the halftime deficit to 35-30.
 
The Bears would also hold LSUE leading scorer Ava Jones (Carencro, LA, Carencro HS) in check for most of the game, leaving Jones scoreless in the first half.  Jones would come through late, scoring nine second-half points.
 
A deadlocked third quarter would set the stage for a signature fourth quarter from the Bengals.  Washington scored ten points in the fourth and combined with sophomores Claralee Richard (Sulphur, LA, Sulphur HS) and Ava Jones to own the final frame, scoring all but three of the team's 26 points in the final quarter.  LSUE was also clutch from the free throw line, going a combined 9-for-12 in the fourth.
 
Richard would tally 13 points, while Le'Shenae Stubblefield (Delhi, LA, Delhi HS) would also chip in 12 points in the winning cause.
 
D'Mya Wilson led Southwest Mississippi with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

LSUE and Jones will close out Thursday's semifinal action at A.E. Wood Coliseum at 7:00PM.  Jones will have a live web stream in addition to live stats for the game.