LORMAN &045; It’s no wonder why Alcorn head coach Shirley Walker turns giddy when Woodville native Natasha Dennis’ name is mentioned.

Walker and her staff devoted a substantial amount of attention to the sophomore last season and during the summer, but the 5-10 former guard was still a beat off.

The difference of late can be attributed to Dennis’ transitioning to the 3, where the proverbial red seas have since parted.

Dennis’ rediscovered her stroke, she plays a more intense defense and her decisions come with more clarity. All facets were at their finest Monday, as she totaled a career-high 18 points during a 63-60 Lady Braves’ victory against Alabama A&M.;

&uot;Dennis is growing every game. We’re very proud of her. At one time she didn’t have any confidence,&uot; said Walker, who watched her team win its fourth straight. &uot;We pushed her all summer. We knew she had the ability, and it’s only now she’s beginning to show it.&uot;

Alcorn (6-10) moved to 5-3 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play after beginning with a single win in its first four games.

Dennis’ free throws with 11 seconds wrapped things up for the Lady Braves, but it was their lone 3-pointer with 5:52 remaining that gave Alcorn the lead, 51-49, for good.

Junior college transfer guard Alicia Gardner nailed the triple with an A&M hand in her face for Alcorn’s first lead of the second half.

&uot;Her ball-handling skills and her ability to go up for a layup, hit a 3 or kick it out makes all of us so dangerous,&uot; Dennis said of Gardner. &uot;We just all have confidence in each other.&uot;

The Lady Bulldogs (6-9. 4-3) never allowed Alcorn to build its lead past four points; however, A&M only managed to draw as close as one on several occasions with less than 2 1/2 minutes.

LaShowann Smith, who led the Lady Bulldogs with 16 points, made a layup with 37 seconds remaining to cut A&M’s deficit to 59-58.

However, a crucial &045; and suspect &045; intentional foul on the ensuing possession gave Alcorn two free throws and the ball with 28.1 seconds left.

&uot;That was a big call, but, hey, those are the things you have to live with,&uot; Lady Bulldogs head coach Altherias Warmsley said. &uot;You put yourselves in those situations on the road. We’ve got to be able to handle adversity, but we couldn’t pull it off tonight.&uot;

Gardner missed the intentionals, but was good on a pair seconds later when she was again fouled.

Alcorn quickly erased a five-point halftime deficit with another pair of Gardner freebies and a pure stroke from Dennis to get within one, 33-32, a minute in.

The Lady Braves had a chance to tie when Tnonealyer Powers went to the line attempting to convert a 3-point play. The and-1 rimmed out, though, and A&M wasted little time in increasing the gap.

&uot;I don’t think we were playing like ourselves in the game defensively early. I knew A&M was tough, but we missed a lot of shots, and didn’t take advantage of the opportunities from the free-throw line,&uot; Walker said. &uot;That’s one thing that upsets you as a coach.&uot;

Angela Carr’s uncontested penetration to the rack was followed by her layup to give her Lady Bulldogs a 41-36 lead with 14:06 left.