DEMOREST, Ga. – Junior guard Jalaya Lewis scored a team-high 15 points and sophomore forward Breonna Glover added 13 points and a team-best seven rebounds for the LaGrange College women's basketball team during an 81-60 setback at Piedmont on Tuesday evening.
The Panthers (8-3, 8-3 USA South) trailed by only one point at halftime, but the Lions (12-3, 10-0) won the second half, 51-31. Sophomore guard Gracie Brunel (9 points) went 3 of 4 on 3-pointers in the second quarter.
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LC will be the third seed in the two-round 2021 USA South West Division Tournament and will either travel to Piedmont or Maryville (10-0, 10-0) for a first-round game on Wednesday, March 3. Maryville and Piedmont will battle for the top seed on Saturday and Sunday in Maryville, Tennessee.
"We turned the ball over way too many times to win on the road," said LaGrange College women's basketball head coach Jasen Jonus. "Breonna played well in the post, Jalaya was aggressive and Gracie shot well. If we want to advance and win games in the postseason, we are going to have to value possessions much better. I love our team and know we can make noise in the playoffs. We will be ready for either Maryville or Piedmont."
LC shot 21 for 46 from the field (45.7%) and 6 of 15 from downtown (40.0%). Nakiyah Washington led the way for the Lions with game-highs of 31 points, 13 rebounds and nine steals.
FIRST-HALF HIGHLIGHTS:
Grant cut Piedmont's advantage to 8-6 with 5:11 left in the first quarter, as she stepped inside the 3-point line and knocked down a jumper from straight on. Glover made an aggressive defensive rotation and blocked a driving shot by Washington in the final minute of the first.
Brunel heated up in the second. She buried a right-wing 3-pointer 41 seconds into the quarter, and then nailed a trey from the right baseline with 6:41 showing. The Broxton, Georgia, native brought LC to within three at 28-25 with 2:55 remaining in the half on a left-baseline three-ball.
Sophomore guard Hayleigh Reeves gave the Panthers some strong minutes in the second quarter. Reeves provided sophomore center Jada Strickland an easy layup with an exceptional entry pass.
Glover ended the first half with back-to-back layups on offensive rebounds, cutting the Lions' lead to 30-29 heading into intermission.
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SECOND-HALF HIGHLIGHTS:
Glover converted a layup off a lob pass by Brunel, cutting Piedmont's advantage to 32-31 with 8:47 left in the third. A layup by Lewis ended a 7-1 LC run and trimmed the deficit down to 40-38 with 5:51 remaining.
The game sat at 48-43 in favor of Piedmont after McEachin drained a deep 3-point shot on the right wing with 2:46 on the clock. Lewis and McEachin scored six points apiece in the third.
Piedmont took a six-point lead into the fourth and built its first double-digit lead at 61-50 on a layup by Laken Stiles with 6:32 showing. Lewis kept attacking to the end, scoring seven fourth-quarter points.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
McEachin (12 points) has scored in double figures in all 11 games this season, including putting in 25 or more four times. LC held a 20-8 advantage in bench points.
Glover, who scored in double figures for the third time this season, shot 4 of 4 from the field. Lewis went 5 of 11 from the field, 1 of 2 on 3-pointers and 4 for 4 from the foul line. Grant finished with five points and five boards off the bench.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
The Lions improved to 38-12 in the all-time series and 21-3 on their home court. LaGrange has gone 9-14 against Piedmont in Mariotti Gym.
The Panthers' last win in the rivalry was a 70-59 decision on Feb. 5, 2017, in Mariotti. The last road victory for LC in the series happened on Feb. 20, 2016, by a score of 79-70.
UP NEXT:
The third-seeded Panthers will play either Piedmont or Maryville on the road in the first round of the USA South West Division tournament on Wednesday, March 3.
Assistant Sports Information Director Trevor Wenners can be reached at twenners@lagrange.edu.
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