SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Hannah Cleveland helped Sewanee overcome an early double-digit deficit, scoring 16 points in the first half en route to a career-best 34-point effort in a 76-70 victory over Maryville College in women's basketball action here Thursday night.
The Tigers (2-2) fell behind, 13-2, to start the game, with Sewanee committing four turnovers and missing its first three shots from the field. Cleveland connected on a pair of 3-pointers after a timeout by the Tigers, but the home team still trailed 22-10 after 10 minutes.
Sewanee put together a 12-0 spurt to start the second period, with
Cydney Wright making a layup and then another plus the foul and free throw. Cleveland and Wright each hit two foul shots before another three by Cleveland knotted the game at 22, forcing a timeout by the Scots.
Maryville (1-1) scored the next seven points after the timeout, including a layup and a 3-pointer by Emily Wilson.
Janie Boyd's layup ended the mini-run and Wright's fast-break basket pulled Sewanee within, 29-26.
Emily Allen answered with a triple for the Scots and Wilson made another three as well, but Cleveland posted a triple from the corner in the final minute and the Tigers trailed, 35-31, at the break despite committing 12 turnovers, which Maryville turned into 13 points.
The Scots pushed their lead to nine three times in the first four minutes of the third quarter. The Tigers registered a 6-0 run behind the first points of the game by
Olivia Falvey and two free throws apiece from Cleveland and
Micha Lovelace. The lead was back to seven after two foul shots by Ella Haney and a steal and layup from Allen.
Cleveland's layup plus the foul and a basket from Falvey made it a two-point game with four minutes left in the period. The Tigers tied the game at 53 thanks to a field goal from
Eliza Everett and an old-fashioned 3-point play by
Adison Howard.
Brianna Keating-Rendon made 1-of-2 at the foul line with 35.0 seconds remaining in the quarter after a technical foul on the Scots and Sewanee took a one-point edge to the final 10 minutes.
The Tigers continued the run to start the final period, netting the first seven points, including a 3-pointer and two free throws by Cleveland and a layup from Boyd, part of an 11-0 spurt encompassing the two quarters for a 61-53 advantage.
Sewanee scored just two points over the next three-plus minutes and the Scots took advantage behind a 3-pointer from Wilson and field goals by Haney and Ella Tharpe. Another basket by Haney pulled Maryville within, 65-64, but Lovelace nailed a triple from the left wing that started an 8-0 run by the home team.
Cleveland made a driving layup and Falvey netted a three from the corner, pushing the lead 73-64, the biggest of the game for Sewanee. Tharpe came right back for Maryville, though, with a jumper and then a triple and Haney made 1-of-2 foul shots with 36.8 seconds to play, making it a three-point game.
Wright was fouled and missed both of her attempts at the line but Cleveland grabbed the offensive rebound and netted both foul shots with 24.6 ticks left on the clock. After a miss by the Scots, Howard posted 1-of-2 free throws for the final margin.
Cleveland made 9-of-14 shots overall, including 5-for-6 from behind the arc and 11-for-11 at the foul line, for her 34 points, grabbing seven rebounds as well. Wright finished with 11 points and nine boards and was the only other Sewanee player in double figures.
Wilson led the Scots with 21 points while Haney netted 15 and Tharpe collected 14.
Tharpe posted an old-fashioned 3-point play and a jumper before a layup by Wilson to start the game for the Scots. Haney then stole the inbounds pass and made a layup as well, forcing a timeout by the home team with Maryville in front, 13-2.
Cleveland made a pair of 3-pointers out of the timeout, but Kadence Stoner and Wilson answered with triples for the Scots and two baskets by Leighan Jackson gave Maryville a 22-10 advantage at the end of one period.
Sewanee travels to Huntingdon College this Saturday for a 1 p.m. tip-off and hosts Warren Wilson on Saturday, November 29 at 2 p.m.
