Tigerville, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell to the North Greenville Trailblazers on Monday afternoon in a 70-50 final score.
The Warriors shot 34% from the field with Asia Pearley leading the team with 13 points. Southern Wesleyan picked up 13 assists in the game.
Alexis Glover, Asia Pearley, and DeYana Hayes each pulled down four of the 28 rebounds. Both Pearley and Rahkhia Mack picked up blocks. Peyton Looky had five of the 11 steals.
Game Vitals
Final: North Greenville 70, Southern Wesleyan 50
Records: Southern Wesleyan (4-10 / CC 1-6) North Greenville (4-9 / CC 4-3)
How It Happened
Southern Wesleyan went on the offensive quickly as Makayla Raines laid the ball up into the basket and then Taylin Smith hit a jump shot seconds later to extend the Warriors lead to 4-0. However, a jump shot by Tabitha Littlefield allowed the Trailblazers to get on the board. Peyton Looky drove to the basket and laid the ball up. Southern Wesleyan maintained the pressure as Lexie Ransom passed the ball out beyond the arc to Asia Pearley. Pearley sunk the three to extend the Warriors lead to 9-2. The Trailblazers would not back down as Grace Ikenegbu and Littlefield each made lay ups to tie the game up. Makayla Raines hit a three of her own to allow the Warriors to take a 16-12 point lead. North Greenville challenged the Southern Wesleyan defense as Littlefield scored once again.
Dynasty Shegog kicked off the second quarter with a layup, but the Trailblazers answered with a layup by Amaijah Smith. Tabitha Littlefield continued to challenge the Warriors as she hit her tenth point of the game in the form of a layup. Lexie Ransom put up a jump shot to tie the game and then a layup by Shegog allowed the Warriors to take the lead once again. The lead was shot lived as Littlefield scored back-to-back baskets. Rahkhia Mack laid the ball up into the basket to keep the Warriors within two. However, the Trailblazers went on a run to extend their lead to 41-31 going into the locker room.
The third quarter started slow for both teams as neither the Warriors nor the Trailblazers could find the basket for the first three minutes. A foul by the Trailblazers sent Asia Pearley to the free throw line. Pearley hit one of her free throws to put the Warriors back within single digits of the Trailblazers. Tabitha Littlefield would not relent as she put up another layup. With just over four minutes left in the quarter, Lexie Ransom fired off a three pointer to put the Warriors right back within nine. North Greenville pressed on with a jump shot by Maliyiah Mason, but Southern Wesleyan answered as Pearley sunk the ball into the basket from beyond the arc.
North Greenville kicked off the final quarter of the game with a three pointer by Abi Oates. Peyton Looky stole the ball away off the inbound attempt by the Trailblazers and then laid it up into the basket. The Trailblazers continued to distance themselves from the Warriors as Oates hit another three and Julia Edwards laid the ball up into the basket. With under four on the clock, DeYana Hayes put up a layup and, seconds later, Jordan Race put up her first points of the game. The Warriors fell to the Trailblazers in a 70-50 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will remain on the road on January 15 as they travel to Due West, SC to take on the Erskine Flying Fleet. They will then travel to Mount Olive, NC on January 18 to take on the University of Mount Olive Trojans. The Warriors will return home on January 20 as they host the Belmont Abbey Crusaders.
