BEREA, Ky. – Senior guard Jalaya Lewis of the LaGrange College women's basketball squad scored a team-high 18 points, shooting 6 of 10 from the field, during a 72-65 setback at Berea Saturday afternoon.
The game was the conference opener for the Panthers (3-4, 0-1 USA South) and Mountaineers (3-0, 1-0). Junior center Jada Strickland pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds, while junior forward Breonna Glover finished with 10 points, six boards and tied a personal-best three blocks. Glover shot 5 of 9 from the field in 19 minutes off the bench.
|
Freshman guard Britney Chavez gave LC 18 strong minutes off the bench, recording eight points, six rebounds and three assists. She shot 3 of 4 from the field and 1 of 2 on 3-pointers.
Aaliyah Hampton led the way for Berea, scoring a game-high 19 points, to go along with six rebounds and six assists. Bailee Vanover contributed with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Destiny Combs tallied 12 points and a team-leading eight boards.
Berea took an early 7-1 lead 3:29 into the first quarter on a jumper by Hampton. LaGrange responded with 10 straight points, as the visitors took an 11-7 advantage on a fast-break layup by Strickland off a pass by freshman guard Ema Turner.
Trailing, 16-15, early in the second, LC embarked on an 8-0 surge and took its largest lead at 23-16 with 7:14 on the clock. The run featured treys by junior guard Gracie Brunel and Turner and a layup by Chavez. A layup by Brunel with four seconds left sent the Panthers into halftime with a 31-30 lead.
Berea opened a 48-41 advantage with 4:09 remaining in the third, but LC was able to trim the deficit down to 51-48 heading into the final quarter on a layup by Lewis.
With 3:32 left in regulation, Chavez connected on a big-time 3-point shot from the top of arc, giving the visitors a 60-59 advantage. LC held a 62-61 lead with less than three minutes on the block, but Berea got to the free-throw line and generated second-chance opportunities down the stretch to secure the seven-point victory.
Brunel finished with 12 points and her six assists were tied for the most in the game. Senior guard Jada Brown finished with six points and seven boards. The Panthers led the points-in-the-paint category, 36-26, and there were 14 lead changes.
Berea improved to 7-0 all-time against LaGrange. Two of the last four meetings were decided by two points, including a 76-74 overtime thriller in Mariotti Gym on Feb. 2, 2020.
The Panthers will compete in USA South action against Agnes Scott on Wednesday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. in Decatur, Georgia.
Assistant Sports Information Director Trevor Wenners can be reached at twenners@lagrange.edu.
-
For continuing coverage of Panther athletics, stay up to date with our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
