Women's Basketball Comeback Against CIU Falls Short

COLUMBIA, S.C.- The women's basketball went on the road to play their final regular season game of the year 2023. The team on the schedule for that finale was an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) opponent, the Columbia International University Lady Rams.

The first quarter did not start how the team had hoped. After a pair of free throws by Cambree Mayo put the game in a 2-2 tie, Columbia International scored eight straight points to take 10-2 lead. TWU slowly chipped away at the deficit through points from Anna Crowder and Sierra Bates to make the score 12-9 in favor of the opponents by the end of the quarter.

The second quarter started much better for the team as they scored the first 10 points. Crowder hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the team the lead, and back-to-back Jaci Powell layups made the score 19-12. Crowder knocked down another three-point basket that broke up a 6-0 run by the Lady Rams, moving the score to 22-18. The game went into halftime tied 22-22 though.

A combination of scoring from Powell and Crowder helped the team lead 32-26 halfway through the third quarter. Crowder broke a 32-32 tie with her three-point jump shot and Jacelyn Stone made the lead 37-32 with 1:22 until the final quarter. TWU led 37-36 entering the fourth quarter.

The momentum stayed with Columba International in the fourth quarter. The opponents scored 13 of the first 15 points to put the Lady Bulldogs in a double-digit hole as the scoreboard read 49-39. Crowder had the basket for Tennessee Wesleyan. The Lady Bulldogs shifted the momentum though, scoring eight straight points on a layup from Powell and three-pointers by Stone and Mayo, making the score 49-47. The opponents scored the next five points to prevent TWU from tying the score or taking the lead. The Lady Bulldogs made one more run at the score, using a Mayo three-pointer and Crowder free throw to make the score 54-51. The team was not able to find the points to move closer, going on to fall 62-53.

Crowder scored a career-high 23 points and hit a career-high six three-pointers. Powell added 13 points and Mayo had 10 points. 

Tennessee Wesleyan (5-5, 3-5 AAC) closes out the 2023 year with two exhbition games against NCAA Division I opponents. The first exhbition game is set for Thursday against Tennessee Tech University at 12:00 p.m., ET.