National University needed a late-game push to send De La Salle University on the brink of elimination, 73-64, and maintain its firm grip on the top spot in the UAAP Season 86 Women's Basketball Tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, Wednesday. 

With the Lady Bulldogs ahead by just four, Jainaba Konateh and Ann Pingol connived for seven unanswered points to establish an 11-point lead with 1:47 left in the game and shrug the Lady Archers' strong stand, 71-60.

"It's one of our games that we cannot find a groove consistently. Actually, that was the challenge right before the tip-off, for us to find some consistency in our game," lamented NU head coach Aris Dimaunahan on their performance despite the win. 

Jainaba Konateh, the 19-year-old Gambian big of the Lady Bulldogs, played her best game yet, producing 17 points and 17 rebounds in 24 minutes and 42 seconds of floor time. 

She stepped up big time after top guns Camille Clarin, Angel Surada, and Tin Cayabyab all had an off night for NU. 

"Jainaba I guessed was the only big of us that was not in foul trouble... I'm just glad Jainabah didn't have foul trouble this morning today. She played her role of getting the rebounds and trying to score if she had the opportunity," said Dimaunahan.

Clarin went 1-of-10 from the field and ended with just five points, three rebounds, and three steals, against three turnovers. Surada battled foul trouble and only managed four points and seven rebounds in 10 minutes and 54 seconds, while Cayabyab missed all his six field goal attempts, finishing with just a point. 

The Lady Bulldogs stretched their winning streak to eight games to improve to 10-1, a game and a half ahead of second-running University of the Philippines, which will face Far Eastern University later on. 

The Lady Archers fell to 4-7, needing to win all of their remaining games while hoping 7-4 Ateneo Blue Eagles drop all of theirs for a chance to enter the Final Four. 

Trisha Mendoza and Bernice Paraiso had identical 13 points and nine rebounds performances in the losing cause. Luisa Dela Paz also added 10 points. 

Aji Bojang, the Lady Archers' foreign student-athlete, missed her second straight game as she is still feeling under the weather according to head coach Cholo Villanueva.

Both teams will be back on Saturday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. NU will go against also-ran University of the East, while La Salle will meet University of the Philippines. 

The Scores:

NU 73 – Konateh 17, Solis 9, Canuto 8, Pingol 8, Bartolo 8, Fabruada 7, Clarin 5, Betanio 5, Surada 4, Cayabyab 1, Ico 1, Berberabe 0, Talas 0.

DLSU 64 – Mendoza 13, Paraiso 13, Dela Paz 10, Sario 7, Binaohan 4, San Juan 4, Sunga 4, Barcieto 4, Delos Reyes 3, Dalisay 2.

Quarterscores: 22-17, 39-34, 56-52, 73-64.