Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell in a hard fought battle against the UNC Pembroke Braves on Saturday afternoon.
The Warriors shot 45.5% from the field and were 29.4% from beyond the arc. Asia Pearley led the team with 15 points. Right behind her Peyton Looky had 13 points. Of the nine assists, Rahkhia Mack had three. Looky and Kaliah Kendrick each had two assists.
Southern Wesleyan pulled down 23 rebounds with Asia Pearley leading the team with four. DeYana Hayes picked up two blocks. The Warriors stole the ball away eleven times. Kaliah Kendrick led the team with three steals.
Game Vitals
Final: UNC Pembroke 75, Southern Wesleyan 62
Records: Southern Wesleyan (7-18 / CC 3-14) UNC Pembroke (19-6 / CC 13-4)
How It Happened
Southern Wesleyan jumped out early as Alexis Glover laid the ball up into the basket. The Braves answered with a layup by Anastasia Sinclair. The Warriors pushed on as Peyton Looky and Rahkhia Mack each put up shots to give the Warriors a 6-2 point lead. Southern Wesleyan would not relent as Makayla Raines and Asia Pearley each sunk three pointers. Zaria Clark put up a jump shot to put the Braves within four points of the Warriors. DeYana Hayes blocked an attack by the Braves and got the ball over to Alexis Glover. Glover took the ball down the court before getting it to Looky who laid it up into the basket.
UNC Pembroke continued to challenge as Natalie Evington knocked down a three pointer to give the Braves the lead. However, a layup out of the hands of Dynasty Shegog allowed the Warriors to tie the game right back up at 16-points apiece. The Braves pushed on with jump shots by Zaria Clark and Anastasia Sinclair. DeYana Hayes tipped the ball into the basket to keep the Warriors within four points. With just over five minutes left in the quarter, Asia Pearley sunk another three pointer. Sinclair laid the ball up to give the Braves a 10-point lead, but the Warriors countered with layups by Peyton Looky and Pearley. Southern Wesleyan trailed UNC Pembroke 33-28 at halftime.
The Warriors kicked off the third quarter with layups by Asia Pearley and Dynasty Shegog to put them within one point of the Braves. However, Tiana Spann laid the ball up into the basket to allow UNC Pembroke to regain their three point lead. Peyton Looky took the ball to the basket and laid it up to give the Warriors the lead with just over seven minutes left in the quarter. The Braves answered as Spann laid the ball up, but their lead was short lived as Kaliah Kendrick stepped beyond the arc and hit a three pointer to tie the game up. However, Stella Mollica put up a three pointer to put the Braves back on top. In the final seconds of the quarter, Lexie Ransom stole the ball away from the Braves on the inbound and took it to the basket for a layup.
Southern Wesleyan cut into UNC Pembroke lead as Lexie Ransom laid the ball up into the basket. Natalie Evington put up a three pointer and then Hannah Russell hit a jumper to extend the Braves lead to fourteen. Peyton Looky collected an offensive rebound and put it right back up into the basket to keep the Warriors within ten points of the Braves. With just over five minutes left in the game, Makayla Raines laid the ball up and was fouled in the process to earn the and-one basket. Looky knocked down a three pointer to cut the Braves lead down to seven. Despite a last second basket by Dynasty Shegog, the Warriors fell to the Braves in a 75-62 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will remain at home on February 19 as they host the Erskine Flying Fleet at 5pm. They will then travel to Murfreesboro, NC to take on the Chowan Hawks on February 22. The Warriors will wrap up the regular season in Historic Tysinger Gymnasium on February 26 as they host the Shorter Hawks.
