FLORENCE, S.C. – The Newberry College women's basketball team (0-3) dropped their midweek match up to the Francis Marion Patriots by a score of 64-73.

The Wolves got off to a good start, scoring the first points of the game off of a layup from redshirt senior Ericka Wiseley (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.). As the clock approached seven minutes remaining in the first quarter, the Wolves lead increased to three. With 16 seconds remaining in the quarter, the Wolves found themselves tied with the Patriots after a 10-8-Patriot run. With just four seconds remaining in the quarter, junior guard Faith Putz (Des Moines, Iowa) sank a layup to give the Wolves a two-point advantage.

The Wolves offense continued to surge in the second quarter. Newberry was up 11 points with 4:50 left in the first half after a 13-4 run to open the half. The final two minutes of the second quarter saw the Wolves again go on a scoring run (4-3) that was punctuated with a layup from senior guard Holly Davies (Camberly, Surrey, England) as time expired in the first half. The Wolves led by 10 points at the break.

The Patriots had cut the lead to one point after the first three minutes of the second half after a 10-2 Francis Marion scoring run. Newberry fought to reclaim the dominant first half lead but the Patriots were unrelenting. After a two-and-a-half minute 7-4 Wolves run, the Wolves led by two points. The Patriots erased that lead with a 6-4 run of their own to close the quarter and the teams entered the final 10 minutes tied at 50 points a piece. 

After allowing the Patriots to score the first basket of the fourth quarter, the Wolves fought back to draw the game even at 54 points with eight minutes left to play. Over the next 4:10, a trio of missed field goals allowed the Patriots to acquire a five-point lead with 3:50 remaining. The Patriots out paced the Wolves through the end of the match and ended the game on an 8-4 run. The Wolves dropped the game 64-73.

Junior guard Payton Cronen (Louiseville, Ky.) and Wiseley led the Wolves in scoring with 14 points each. Cronen also recorded three rebounds and an assist. Wiseley recorded five rebounds and a block. Senior guard Giulia Bongiorno recorded nine points, five rebounds, and seven assists in the game.

The Wolves are back on the court Saturday, Nov. 19 as they host UNC Pembroke in the first matchup at Eleazer arena this season. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 P.M.