STAUNTON, Va. – The Mary Baldwin University women's basketball team fell to N.C. Wesleyan, 68-65, in the PAC on Saturday afternoon.
Before the game, the two teams supported the USA South's #TuggleStrong initiative to support Greensboro's head basketball coach Randy Tuggle and raise awareness for pancreatic cancer research.
With the result, the Fighting Squirrels end the regular season at 12-12 overall and sport a 7-9 mark in league play. With the finish, MBU claims the No. 5 seed in the USA South Tournament and will travel to Greensboro to take on the Pride on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Meanwhile, the Battling Bishops will take the No. 2 seed in the East and earn a first-round bye in the tournament.
Mary Moran finished with 18 points, including a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line, and pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds to record her first double-double of the year. She finished the first half with 12 points and seven rebounds to lead the team then, as well. Moran tallied five assists and a steal to add to her totals.
Brooke Anders used six three-pointers to finish with 18 points and added eight rebounds and three assists.
Codie Heilig recorded 16 points and four rebounds to go with an assist in the loss, while Demet Saygili registered 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.
For the Bishops, Kayla Johnson finished with a game-best 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field. She also grabbed a rebound, added three assists and a pair of steals. Kayrisma Harrison posted 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Myra Watkins finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
In the first quarter, the Bishops recorded the first five points of the contest but MBU battled back with the next six points to take a 6-5 lead with eight minutes left in the period. The two sides traded scores before a quick run by the Fighting Squirrels put them up 16-7 after a pair of free throws from Moran. MBU held a 23-17 lead at the end of the first.
The Bishops got the first two baskets of the second period to trim the deficit to 23-21. Saygili drilled a jumper with 5:51 on the clock to push the lead back to four points. Johnson and Harrison connected on back to back jumpers before Johnson made a pair of free throws to tie the contest with under five minutes left in the first half. Back to back baskets from Heilig put MBU in front 31-27 before an 8-0 run from NCWC to end the half put them up 35-31 at the break.
The two sides traded basket to begin the second half and MBU took the lead on a Heilig layup with 7:44 on the clock. N.C. Wesleyan retook the lead and eventually worked the lead out to 48-43 with 3:18 left in the quarter. MBU scored three straight baskets before the Bishops hit on free throws at the end of the period as NCWC held on to a 51-48 advantage heading into the final quarter.
Anders hit on consecutive threes to jump the Fighting Squirrels back into the lead with 9:15 left in regulation. Sayili was fouled on a three and converted on two of the three free throws to set the score at 56-51 with eight minutes left to go. The Bishops worked the scored to 58-54 and hit back-to-back treys to jump ahead 60-58 with 4:42 left to go. Heilig tied the game once again before the Bishops started to pull away late in the quarter. Anders' sixth three of the night brought the score back to 66-63, and two free throws from Moran brought the game within two points, but the Bishops prevailed 68-65.
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