SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Janie Boyd netted 20 points and
Micha Lovelace added 10 off the bench, but Sewanee let a 13-point lead slip away in the last six minutes, scoring just three points in the final stretch in a 60-57 loss to Oglethorpe University in women's basketball action here Friday night at Juhan Gymnasium.
The Tigers (8-13, 1-9 SAA) led by two points at halftime and used an 11-0 run in the third quarter to push the lead to 10.
Hannah Cleveland's basket less than two minutes into the final period stretched the advantage to 54-41, but that was the last field goal of the game for Sewanee.
The Tigers committed seven turnovers and missed five shots the rest of the game, scoring on three free throws. Oglethorpe (13-7, 5-4) ended the game with a 19-3 run, using a full-court press in the final five minutes that wreaked havoc on the home team.
Sheraton Foster and Marlie Battle each scored in the lane near the five-minute mark, two of nine points in the period for Battle. Briley Elder's 3-pointer cut the deficit to six with 2:53 remaining and Battle scored again, but Boyd was fouled on the next possession and made both free throws for the Tigers.
Battle recorded another basket and after a missed jumper by Boyd, Elder's fourth triple of the game cut the Sewanee lead to 57-56 with 1:22 to play. Foster's deflected a pass for a steal and Battle scored on a layup for a one-point Oglethorpe advantage.
The Tigers never got past halfcourt again, with Battle collecting the steal this time. She was fouled and posted 1-of-2 at the foul line with 26.8 seconds to play. Another deflection and steal gave the ball back to the Stormy Petrels and Foster hit 1-of-2 free throws with 12.9 seconds remaining.
Sewanee got one shot off, a layup in traffic by Cleveland, and Falvey registered the offensive rebound, but the Tigers could not get another shot attempt before the horn sounded. Cleveland finished with 13 points and eight rebounds and Falvey netted nine points.
Keimarya Rivera led Oglethorpe with 20 points and nine boards while Battle collected 15 points and nine rebounds and Elder added 12 points. The Stormy Petrels made just 5-of-27 from 3-point range and shot 36 percent overall for the game.
The Stormy Petrels netted the first five points of the game before a layup from Cleveland and a 3-pointer by Boyd. Lovelace added a triple for the Tigers and Boyd posted a basket before a backdoor layup from Falvey put Sewanee in front, 13-12, after one quarter.
Brianna Keating-Rendon started the second period with a 3-pointer, but Elder answered with a triple for Oglethorpe. Boyd collected a layup and Lovelace netted two free throws for a 21-16 advantage. The home team did not score for almost six minutes.
Oglethorpe registered eight consecutive points, including two field goals from Rivera and another 3-pointer by Elder, forcing a timeout with the Stormy Petrels leading, 24-21. The Tigers outscored the visitors, 9-4, over the last two minutes of the period, with Lovelace scoring on a layup before two baskets from Boyd and then a 3-pointer in the corner by Falvey in the last 10 seconds for a 30-28 edge at the half.
Oglethorpe shot just 34 percent in the first two quarters, 3-for-15 from behind the arc, while Sewanee connected on 46 percent overall and 4-for-8 from 3-point range. Rivera netted 13 of her team's 28 points while Boyd led the Tigers with 11 points.
Sewanee hosts Berry College on Sunday at Noon, the final home game of the season. The Tigers will honor their seniors before the game.
