Morrow, GA – The 2026 season for the Allen University Lady Yellow Jackets came to a hard-fought end Wednesday morning as the Miles College Golden Bears held off Allen 68–63 in the quarterfinal round of the SIAC Women's Basketball Championship.
Despite a resilient effort and multiple players stepping up throughout the game, Allen was unable to overcome an early deficit created by Miles' explosive opening quarter.
Miles set the tone immediately, jumping out to a 26–12 first-quarter lead behind hot shooting and aggressive offense. The Golden Bears shot 10-for-24 from the field and 5-for-10 from three-point range in the first quarter, building the largest momentum swing of the game and forcing Allen to play catch-up the rest of the afternoon.
Allen responded with more energy in the second quarter, tightening defensively and beginning to chip away at the lead. The Lady Yellow Jackets won the quarter 19–14, closing the halftime gap to 40–31 and keeping themselves within striking distance.
Coming out of the locker room, Allen continued to battle. The Lady Yellow Jackets delivered their most efficient offensive stretch in the third quarter, shooting 50 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from three, trimming further into the Miles lead.
However, every time Allen appeared ready to take control, Miles answered. The Golden Bears relied heavily on getting to the free-throw line down the stretch, finishing 19-for-29 from the stripe, which proved to be a key difference in the five-point final margin.
Balanced Effort Leads Allen
Allen received strong contributions across the roster in the final game of the season.
Morgan Smith led the Lady Yellow Jackets with 14 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 6-for-16 from the field while anchoring the team on the boards.
Peighton Jambor added 11 points and 9 rebounds, giving Allen a second dominant presence inside.
Allen's backcourt also contributed key scoring:
The Lady Yellow Jackets also received contributions from the bench, including Destini Goodine, who knocked down a three-pointer to spark momentum during Allen's second-half push.
As a team, Allen finished with:
- 24-for-61 shooting (39.3%)
- 6-for-22 from three-point range (27.3%)
- 46 total rebounds
- 20 bench points
However, 27 turnovers proved costly against Miles' defensive pressure.
Golden Bears Seal the Game
Miles was led by Makayla Rieves, who scored 16 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.
Additional contributions included:
- Samarian Franklin – 13 points
- Nayla Wesley – 10 points and 8 rebounds
- Shannon Niles – 8 points
Miles struggled from the field overall, shooting just 32.8 percent, but their ability to convert at the free-throw line and capitalize on turnovers allowed them to maintain control late in the game.
A Season to Remember for Allen
While the Lady Yellow Jackets' tournament run ends earlier than hoped, the 2026 season will be remembered as another major step forward for Allen University women's basketball.
The team finishes the year with an 18–10 overall record and 16–8 mark in SIAC play, matching last season's win total and continuing the upward trajectory of the program under Head Coach Olivia Gaines who expressed a sense of urgency after the game:
"I'm extremely proud of our players and coaching staff for the season we've had. To earn the right to play at the SIAC Championship is a testament to their hard work, discipline, and belief in each other. This one will sting for a little while, but there's no time to sit down. I'm motivated more than ever to continue building and to get Allen to the top."
Allen remained one of the most competitive teams in the conference throughout the season and earned the opportunity to compete on the SIAC Championship stage.
Though the journey ends in Morrow, the foundation built this season signals that the Lady Yellow Jackets are a program on the rise — and one that will continue to be a force in the SIAC moving forward.
