SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Hannah Cleveland netted 20 points and
Micha Lovelace posted a career-best 15 points off the bench, but Sewanee was unable to overcome a fast start from Berea in an 88-68 loss in women's basketball action here Tuesday at Juhan Gymnasium.
The Mountaineers scored the first nine points of the game and led by 10 at the half. Berea started fast again in the third quarter, hitting six of its first eight shots, and the visitors put together a 10-0 spurt early in the final period, pushing the lead to 20 points with just over six minutes to play.
The Tigers (7-4) shot just 32 percent from the field overall, connecting on 7-of-31 attempts from 3-point range.
Lynkaylah James led all players with 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Mountaineers while Madison Howell added 19 points off the bench. Berea outscored the Tigers, 54-32, in the paint, and turned 21 Sewanee turnovers into 24 points.
The Mountaineers (5-6) netted the first nine points of the contest, including two baskets by Joyce Mukalamusi, before a layup and the foul by Cleveland three minutes into the opening quarter for the Tigers.
Janie Boyd netted a 3-pointer but Atyia Moss posted her second triple of the period for Berea, stretching the visitors lead to 14-6.
Payton Bugg hit a jumper in the lane for the Mountaineers before Lovelace's drive to the basket plus the foul for Sewanee. Two foul shots from
Olivia Falvey cut the deficit to six with a minute left in the quarter, but London Sweeney got a putback and after a Sewanee turnover, Ariyana Sutton made a layup for a 23-13 advantage for Berea after 10 minutes.
James collected a layup and then another basket and the foul to start the second period for Berea, pushing the lead to 13.
Eliza Everett answered with a 3-pointer for the Tigers and two free throws and a driving layup by Falvey made it a six-point game.
Howell connected on two foul shots and got a putback for the Mountaineers. She added another basket before a triple by Cleveland, but Howell answered with a three and Bugg's jumper in the final minute gave Berea a 41-31 edge at the half.
Mukalamusi made a 3-pointer and a layup in the first three minutes of the third period, stretching the Berea advantage to 14. James added six points as well, though Lovelace kept her team within striking distance with two foul shots and a putback midway through the quarter. Sewanee never got closer than nine and trailed 62-51 headed to the fourth period.
Boyd's 3-pointer early in the final quarter made it a 10-point game, but the Tigers did not score again for almost three minutes. Howell made a layup before an old-fashioned 3-point play by James. Howell netted another basket and Bugg made a triple, finishing a 10-0 spurt that gave the Mountaineers a 76-56 lead with 6:38 remaining.
Falvey recorded 17 points, 11 in the second half, while Mukalamusi netted 14 and Bugg collected 11 for Berea.
Sewanee begins SAA action this Saturday, hosting Centre College at 1 p.m. at Juhan Gymnasium.
Sewanee Classic All-Tournament Team
Marlie Battle, Oglethorpe University
Keimarya Rivera, Oglethorpe University
Chloe Bertrand, Covenant College
Lynkaylah James, Berea College
Hannah Cleveland, Sewanee
