The 16th-ranked Lindsey Wilson women’s basketball team shot a season-low 27.8 percent from the field and fell 67-62 to Berea (Ky.) Tuesday afternoon.
The Blue Raiders (21-7) made just 9-of 38 shots from the field in the second half in a loss that ended a three-game win streak.
Both teams struggled early as Lindsey Wilson went 4-for-10 from the field, compared to Berea’s (14-9) 30.0 percentage (3-for-10) from the floor in the first four minutes. The first half also saw a total of eight lead changes.
The Blue Raiders were able to make an early 9-2 run before the Mountaineers clawed back to trail by just two points at 15-13 with 10:44 left in the first half.
Each team then traded baskets as neither one built a significant lead. The Mountaineers trailed 22-16 with 8:24 left before gaining some momentum and sprinting to an 18-10 run to take a 34-32 halftime lead. The Blue Raiders shot only 1-of-13 in the final eight minutes of the half.
Berea shot 35.3 percent from the field in the first half, while Lindsey Wilson totaled a 32.4 percentage.
The Mountaineers also made 12 trips to the charity stripe converting nine of them for a 75.0 percentage. The Blue Raiders shot 62.5 percent from the free throw line (5-8).
Kayla Richardson led Lindsey Wilson with 10 first half points. Bre Elder, Chanel Roberts and Courtney Sandlin each tallied five. Billie Hearn led the team with nine rebounds. Jamie Roberts led Berea with 10 first half points, while Zacchea Small recorded eight.
The shooting struggles continued in the early minutes of the second half as the Blue Raiders made two of their first three field goals, but then went into a 1-11 shooting spell.
Lindsey Wilson held a 39-38 lead with 15:09 to play before finding a rhythm and scoring nine of the game’s next 13 points. Berea’s Johneesha Warren clipped the deficit to three at 48-45, but a three-pointer by Richardson pushed the Blue Raider lead back up to six.
Berea, who had also struggled from the floor, then went on a 10-3 run in a five minute span taking a 52-51 lead with six minutes to play. After a Michelle Montgomery basket, the Mountaineers were able to retake the lead scoring 10 straight points to create separation from the Blue Raiders. Berea held a 62-53 lead with just 1:32 left.
Kasey Young gave Lindsey Wilson a little bit of hope after hitting a three-pointer with 1:23 to play and Berea leading 62-56. Lindsey Wilson tried to extend the game longer by sending Berea to the foul line, where the Mountaineers were able to convert 5-of-7 from the charity stripe in the last minute of the game.
The Blue Raiders did have a shot to tie it in the final minute.
After a Mountaineer miss at the free throw line, Lindsey Wilson trailed by just three at 63-60. But a Kasey Young three-point field goal attempt missed the mark and Berea grabbed the rebound.
The Mountaineers would make their free throws as Lindsey Wilson continued to miss shots from the floor in the final seconds, ending the game at 67-62.
Lindsey Wilson just never managed to put together consecutive quality possessions after a 10 day layoff between games.
Lindsey Wilson shot 27.8 percent for the game, while Berea recorded a 34.3 percentage from the floor. The Blue Raiders shot 63.6 percent (14-of-22) from the free throw line and the Mountaineers took advantage of their trips to the charity stripe hitting 72.0 percent (18-of-25).
Richardson and Roberts were the only Blue Raiders to tally double-figures. Richardson posted 15 points and Roberts tallied 13 points. Hearn scored just four points, but had a career-high 16 rebounds.
Warren led Berea with 22 points and Adriana Williams had 14 points. Small tallied a double-double for the Mountaineers with 10 points and 13 boards.
Lindsey Wilson meets Cumberland (Tenn.) in the final regular season game of the season on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. CT.
