SHREVEPORT, La. – Centenary (3-9, 1-3 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) could not hold on to a halftime lead for the second straight game in a 76-57 loss to Texas Lutheran (8-5, 4-0 SCAC) Sunday afternoon, December 30.
Centenary trailed 5-0 before scoring six straight to take the lead. Junior Deunya Small put the Ladies on the board with an offensive putback before an old-fashioned three by sophomore Bre Frierson tied the game. Freshman Priya Ponia split from the charity stripe to give Centenary a 6-5 lead with 4:53 left in the first.
Trailing 15-14 late in the first, Ponia hit a three to end the first quarter and added another to begin the second to put the Ladies up 20-15. Later up 22-20, junior Jasmine Morris hit a three and split from the free throw line. Small added a layup to put Centenary in the lead 28-20 with 3:47 left.
Morris led Centenary with 15 points, while Frierson came off the bench with 14 points.
Centenary led 32-25 with two minutes left in the half, but a 20-2 run to end the first half and to begin the second gave the Bulldogs a double digit lead. After a pair from the charity stripe, a three from Morgan Rodriguez cut the Centenary lead to two at the intermission.
In the third quarter, both teams went scoreless for the first two minutes before Bryanna Delgado tied the game on a layup. Tara Molina gave the visitors the lead for good on a fastbreak hoop off a steal while Bryanna Delgado made an old-fashioned three. Frierson made the first score of the second half for the Ladies with a jumper, but Rodriguez answered with a three for Texas Lutheran. Olivia Balderas made a three and Rodriguez made a pair from the line as the Bulldogs led 45-34 with 5:35 left in the third quarter.
Texas Lutheran took advantage of 29 Centenary turnovers, turning it into 27 points. Rodriguez led Texas Lutheran with 16 points off the bench, while Abby Hroch added 15.
Centenary returns to action Friday night, January 4, when it takes on Colorado College in Colorado Springs. Game time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central Standard Time (5:30 p.m. MST).