LaGRANGE, Ga. – Maryville started fast but could not sustain that momentum, dropping a tough 63-57 decision to LaGrange on Friday afternoon in Collegiate Conference of the South action.
The host Panthers outscored the Scots 23-9 in the fourth quarter and 16-1 to close the game.
The Scots led after one quarter for the third time this season and appeared ready to post their third victory in the last four outings. Maryville was in front 22-14 after 10 minutes and carried that lead into halftime by a 34-28 margin.
Maryville gained its largest lead at 47-34 when
Halle Kitchen put back a miss with 2:26 remaining in the third quarter. It was still 48-40 Scots headed to the fourth, and Maryville led 56-47 on
Emma Huskey's layup with 3:15 to play.
But Huskey picked up her fourth and fifth fouls in a four-second stretch and fouled out of the game with 2:17 showing. That was during the late LaGrange run when the Panthers scored 14 points in a row to flip the game in their favor and improve to 9-5 overall and 3-2 in the conference.
Terrific First Half
Maryville's 22-14 lead after one quarter was its second-highest point total for the opening quarter this year, topped only by the 23-20 scoreline over Warren Wilson on Jan. 8.
Olivia Cathers scored nine of her team-high 11 points in the first half, while
Emily Allen and
Niles Daniel added six points apiece in that opening half.
Daniel's six points for the game were a career high and part of a 30-12 scoring edge Maryville had in bench points. The Scots outrebounded LaGrange 35-28 and committed one fewer turnover (30-29). But Maryville shot 40.4 percent to LaGrange's 51.3 percent. The Panthers hit two more 3-pointers and made 10 more free throws.
In addition to her team-high 11 points, Cathers also led the Scots with six boards. Huskey scored nine points and Kitchen added eight points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals.
The Scots, now 2-10 overall and 1-2 in the CCS, play Saturday afternoon at Huntingdon. The Hawks fell 77-66 at home to Asbury on Friday night and stand 6-8 overall, 2-3 in the league.
Start time is 2 p.m. Central.
