Box Score Carruthers, Hix Lead With 12
BEREA, Ky. – Maryville was on the wrong side of two different streaks as a 64-43 loss to Berea saw the Mountaineers bring their consecutive wins to 10 and notch their ninth win in a row over the Scots.
"We obviously just didn't have enough on either end of the floor tonight against an excellent Berea team," Maryville head coach Darrin Travillian said. "We had moments of the type of effort and execution that is necessary to compete, but we just didn't sustain it."
The visitors on the scoreboard put up the first points on a Courtney Carruthers layup. The teams traded baskets before Berea went off on a 7-0 run to take the lead. It was a close affair the rest of the opening quarter with two late baskets from Hannah Jones holding the deficit for the Scots at four.
The Mountaineer lead was extended to 11 with a little over three minutes left in the third quarter. An Elsa Eckenrod layup assisted by Audrey Sanders cut the lead back to single digits and, after a single free throw from Berea, a Carruthers step back brought the Scots within seven.
Unfortunately, Berea went on a 10-0 run that extended into the third quarter. Maryville slowed the home team's momentum down with seven unanswered points that followed the Mountaineer run. Berea continued to push forward and ended the night on top 64-43.
A Look at the Stats
Jones blocked a career-high five baskets in the conference matchup. The senior also had a team-best eight rebounds. Carruthers and Shelby Hix led Maryville on offense with 12 points each. Jones added 10 points as the only other Scot in double figures.
The blocks from Jones plus one from Jordan Heifner and one from Madison Williams gave Maryville its second-best effort in that category of the season. The Scots kept pace in defensive rebounds with 29 to Berea's 30 but the Mountaineers won the defensive boards battle 21-10.
Maryville was awarded a season-low six free throw attempts and sunk them all. Berea, on the other hand, had the second-most attempts from the charity stripe of any Scot opponent this season.
League-leading Berea was led by Aaliyah Hampton with 22 points. Bailee Vanover added 17 points while Destiny Combs had a game-high 15 rebounds for the Mountaineers.
Maryville drops to 7-9 overall and 4-4 in the USA South. Berea now sits at 16-3 and 10-0 in USA South action.
"We need to bounce back, get ready, and push ourselves in this stretch run. I hope to get back to 10 healthy bodies soon," said Travillian.
The Scots return home for a 2 p.m. Saturday matchup with Piedmont. The Lions are 14-3 overall and 8-1 in league play. Piedmont enters the contest having defeated Brevard 79-48 in their last game.
