BUENA VISTA, Va. - Mary Baldwin entered the fourth quarter Tuesday evening trailing Np. 1 seed Southern Virginia by just six points, but the Knights pulled away in the final 10 minutes to win the quarterfinal matchup in the USA South Athletic Conference women's basketball tournament, 69-45.

The Fighing Squirrels closed the first quarter with six straight points, to pull even with the favored Knights, 11-11. Demet Saygili hit a jumper before Jalen Gathers tied the score with a layup and two free throws.

MBU  took its first lead with 6:33 left in the first half on a jumper by Mya Coleman. Coleman added another jumper to put the Squirrels up 17-13. The score was tied at 19-19, 21-21 and 23-23 before Courtney McKrola made two foul shots for a 25-23 SVU lead with 30 seconds on the clock. Mary Baldwin's A'Cetta Farrait knocked down a jumper with 14 seconds remaining to send the teams to the break tied at 25-25.

Southern Virginia took a nine-point, 42-33, lead late in the third quarter before a free throw by Mary Moran and two layups by Gathers pulled the Squirrels to within four points, 42-38. SVU center Kate Garrish scored on an inside move just before the buzzer, giving the Knights a 44-38 lead entering the final quarter.

MBU went cold from the floor in the final quarter as the Squirrels failed to score in the first six minutes. Southern Virginia took advantage of the drought, scoring 16 straight points to take command of the game. The Squirrels made just 3-of-18 shots in the fourth quarter and turned the ball over seven times.

Saygili led the Mary Baldwin with 12 points while Gathers and Coleman each finished the contest with 10 points.

Mary Baldwin finishes its season with a 15-10 reocrd.