NEWBERRY - Despite leading for the entire first half of the game, the Newberry College women's basketball team couldn't throw a wrench in the potent Anderson University offensive machine as the Wolves fell for the second straight time, 61-56.
After falling behind at the 4:16 mark in the second half on an Amanda Parris (Summerville, Ga.) three-pointer, Newberry (12-9, 7-6 South Atlantic Conference) climbed back within one of Anderson (9-12, 5-8 SAC) with just under two minutes to go with a Jessica Bearzatto (Melbourne, Australia) free throw. Alexa Neal (Greensboro, N.C.) then snuck the ball away from Newberry senior Briana Johnson (Irmo, S.C.) and fed an assists to Parris who hit her second three of the game to seal the deal for the Trojans.
“It's a tough loss to take at home that's for sure,” said Newberry head coach Sean Page. “But you have to give them credit, they shot the ball and shot it well. On the flip side, we just didn't get things done. We missed way too many free throws and for the second straight time we made more field goals than our opponent and still lost the game and that's something that can't happen.”
Coming into tonight's game the Wolves were shooting an impressive 73.3 percent from the free-throw line. Tonight, the scarlet and gray could only manage to fire away at a 41 percent clip, going 5-of-12 from the charity stripe.
Anderson sent home 13 three-pointers during the win, the most anyone has made against the Wolves this season who came into the night with one of the nation's best perimeter defenses. Ashley Abed was a perfect 5-for-5 from beyond the arc to lead the Trojans while Neal was 4-for-6.
For the Wolves it was freshman Devanee' Taylor who led the offensive charge with her 10 points, tying a season high for the Norfolk, Va., native. Team leading scorer Helen McKinney (Owensboro, Ky.) and senior teammate Leanne Watson (Stone Mountain, Ga.) both finished with nine points. Watson was a point shy of another double-double with a team leading 10 rebounds.
“This one's disappointing,” added Page. “But there's just some nights when the other team comes out and has a terrific outing and that's what they had against us here tonight.”
Newberry went into the second half with a 27-24 advantage over Anderson. The Wolves gave up their first lead of the game at the 15:56 mark in the second half with an Abed three-pointer. The team's then tied up the game four times before Neal put the Trojans up for good with the game clinching three.
The Wolves will look to stay in the hunt for a conference championship as they travel to Harrogate, Tenn., to take on Lincoln Memorial this Saturday, Feb. 12, at 6 p.m.
