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JU senior guard Priscilla Williams set team scoring record in OT victory
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- JU senior guard Priscilla Williams set team scoring record in OT victory
Jacksonville University senior guard Priscilla Williams got off to a slow start vs. Central Arkansas on Jan. 15 at Swisher Gym.
She then turned in an electrifying second half and overtime on her way to the JU single-game scoring record as the Dolphins rallied from a 10-point deficit with 8:36 to play and a five-point deficit with less than 30 seconds left in regulation to beat the Sugar Bears 96-86.
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The 6-foot-4 Williams scored 44 points, 36 of them after halftime, breaking Edyn Battle's record of 39 points against Bellarmine in the ASUN Tournament on March 7, 2025.
Jacksonville University senior guard Priscilla Williams celebrates the Dolphins' 96-86 overtime victory over Central Arkansas on Jan. 15 at JU's Swisher Gym. Williams set the school single-game scoring record with 44 points.
It's also the high individual game in the ASUN this season. JU (11-5, 3-2 in the ASUN) has scored 90 or more points in two of its last three conference games.
"That was hard-fought, a great game," Dolphins coach Special Jennings said. "Our team figured out a way to win. Great teams figure out how to get it done."
Priscilla Williams also broke JU free-throw record
Williams made 10 of 20 shots from the floor (four of seven from the 3-point arc) and did her real damage slashing to the basket, drawing foul after foul.
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She made 20 of 22 shots from the foul line to break another pair of school records. Brandi Buie had the previous record in both categories when she made 16 of 19 on Jan. 23, 2017 vs. Lipscomb.
Amazingly, Williams seemed on her way to a subpar night. She made only one of six field goals in the first half and missed her only two 3-point attempts, scoring eight points as the Dolphins trailed 40-36.
"I was really kind of down in the first half, but my coaches calmed me down and told me to keep shooting," she said. "I never even knew it was a record. My teammates gave me the ball. Shout out to them for letting me play my game."
Priscilla Williams, 'a unicorn'
Jennings called Williams, who also had eight rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots "a unicorn."
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"She knocks down shots, gets to the basket, makes free throws ... defensively she's long," Jennings said. "Really proud of that kid."
Williams leads the Dolphins with 15.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Freshman guard Tatum Brown of Jacksonville University brings the ball up court during the Dolphins' 96-86 overtime victory over Central Arkansas on Jan. 15 at Swisher Gym.
Williams scored 12 points in the third quarter, but the Dolphins trailed 61-57, then fell behind 67-57 when UCA's Jenna Cooke (21 points), opened the fourth period with 3-point shots on back-to-back possessions.
Despite Williams scoring 10 points over the next 4:06, the Sugar Bears' Shae Littleford (20 points) helped keep UCA ahead. She made three or four foul shots at one point and the Bears led 77-72 with 31.9 seconds remaining.
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JU had a chance to win in regulation
It didn't last. Williams drew a foul and made two shots from the line with 18.3 seconds left and after UCA's Cheyanne Kemp made one foul shot with 10 seconds left to give the Bears a 78-74 lead, Williams hit a 3-pointer to cut it to one.
Emerie Bohanon was fouled intentionally and missed both free throws with five seconds left. After a timeout, the Dolphins rushed the ball up the court and freshman guard Tatum Brown drove the lane and was fouled with 0.07 left on the clock.
Brown could have ended the game by making both free throws. She tied the game with the front end and missed the second.
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But the Dolphins quickly took control in overtime. Junior guard Bailey Burns (12 points, six rebounds off the bench) scored 10 of her points in overtime, with three slicing layups in the first 1:41 of the extra period putting JU ahead for good. Williams got the school record with two foul shots with 1:05 left.
"We needed this," Williams said of the victory. "I'm really proud of our team."
Brown had 14 points and 11 rebounds and Makiya Miller added 12 points. The Dolphins overcame 27 turnovers (matching their season-high) and got out-rebounded 44-34.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Priscilla Williams scores a record 44 points to lead JU to overtime victory
