TALLADEGA - Cherelle James’ layup with 5.2 seconds left in the game lifted Tennessee Temple past the Lady Tornadoes of Talladega College 73-71 on Tuesday night. The junior forward scored career-high 30 points against the Lady Tornadoes.

“She is our second-best post player,” Tennessee Temple head coach Kenrick Liburd said. “Our main post player was out; she is only 5-foot-7. She stepped up and played big for us on the inside. We ran a play to isolate her on the baseline and she scored the two points.”

The Lady Tornadoes had one last chance to go for either a tie or for the win, but Jessica McConico dribbled the basketball off of her foot.

Morgan Bennett carried the Lady Tornadoes’ offense, as she scored 32 points and pulled down 20 rebounds.

“Morgan is a senior that is what she is supposed to do,” Talladega head coach Romeo Lagmay said. “She was an All-American last year; that’s what she is supposed to do. Everybody has to learn how to compete on that level.”

Bennett scored five points in the last two minutes of the game, including a layup to tie the game up at 69-69 with 1:55 remaining.

Shakila Cole gave the Lady Tornadoes their first lead since the first half when she knocked down two free throws to make it 71-69 with 1:17 left in the game.

In the first half the Lady Crusaders went on 12-0 run as they took advantage of a five-minute drought by the Lady Tornadoes.

“Defense, defense, defense, defense,” Lagmay said. “We underestimated our opponent on the offensive end.”

Liburd believes the different defensive looks they gave the Lady Tornadoes helped them during that run.

“We put on a 2-2-1 half-court trap for one play and we got something good out of it,” Liburd said.

“Then we full-court pressed and got something good out of it and that kind of got us going.”

The Lady Tornadoes were without Ebony Richardson and Tamiko Rounds for the second consecutive game. Junior Danielle Padgett had a solid game as she scored 14 points.

Whitney Love chipped in with nine points.

The Lady Tornadoes travel to Livingston to take West Alabama on Saturday at 4 p.m.