Women's Basketball Drops First Game of 2024

ATHENS, Tenn.- The women's basketball team returned to the court for the first time in the 2024 year. For their first game back from the holiday break, the team hosted the Milligan University Lady Buffaloes in an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) game.

Anna Crowder opened the game with a layup to give the team a 2-0 lead. Jacelyn Stone gave the team the lead back with a three-pointer moving the score to 5-3. A pair of free throws by Jaci Powell pushed the Lady Bulldogs ahead 7-6 before Milligan pulled ahead 10-7. Crowder got fouled and knocked down a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to one. After the opponents had taken a 15-9 advantage, Ella Crowder scored five consecutive points to pull the team back within one point. The quarter ended with Milligan leading 19-15.

The opponents scored seven straight points to open the second quarter. Cambree Mayo broke the cold drought with a three-pointer to cut the deficit to eight points, making the score 26-18. The momentum did not carry for the Lady Bulldogs as Milligan scored eight straight points to move ahead 34-18. E. Crowder, Alexis Bates, and Stone all scored before the end of the half to make the score 40-25. 

Stone scored the first five points of the third quarter for TWU, making the score 42-30 early in the second half. The offense went through a scoring drought, allowing the opponents to move their lead to 55-30. A. Crowder ended the drought with a layup, and scores by E. Crowder, Stone, and Sierra Bates made the score 62-38 at the end of the third quarter. 

The team was unable to make up the difference they needed to win the game. Mayo, A. Crowder, Courtney Farr, A. Bates, Abbey Barr, and Aubrey Long all scored in the fourth quarter. The final score was 73-54.

Stone led the offense with 15 points.

The first road trip for the Lady Bulldogs (5-6, 3-6 AAC) of 2024 will be the team's next game. The team travels to take on Columbia College in an AAC game on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.