Shreveport – The Centenary women's basketball team dropped a 56-44 decision to the Austin College 'Roos on Friday in a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference game at the Gold Dome.
The Ladies (1-23, 1-16 SCAC) hung tough against one of the top teams in the conference as the 'Roos (21-3, 14-3 SCAC) maintained their spot in second place behind SCAC leader Trinity. Centenary lost, 75-34, on the road to Austin back on Dec. 20 in Sherman but was much more competitive this time around.
Thirteen of Centenary's losses this season have been by 14 points or less, with nine by 12 points or less and six by single digits displaying how hard the Ladies have played and how competitive they are. Austin led by four, 27-23, at halftime on Friday and after each team scored eight points in the third quarter, the 'Roos pulled away with a 21-13 edge in the final quarter to seal the 12-point win.
Freshman guard Destini Powell (Minden, La.) led the Ladies in scoring with nine points on 3-8 shooting from the floor in 24 minutes. Powell scored a season-high and game-high 26 points in 28 minutes against Texas Lutheran back on Feb. 8 and just missed reaching double figures for the eighth time this season on Friday.
Freshman forward Jazzmyn Jones (Normangee, Texas) and junior Jeanne Mayberry (Clovis, Calif.) each scored eight points while senior Deuyna Small (Shreveport) and junior Darelzray Bellard (Mamou, La.) scored six points apiece. Small added five rebounds, two blocks, an assist and a steal in 34 minutes. Junior forward Bre Frierson (Shreveport) was held to just one point on 0-4 shooting in 19 minutes but she did grab a game-high 12 rebounds. Frierson entered the game as the team leader in points per game, averaging 12.2, and was second on the team in rebounding with 6.7 per game. She ranked ninth in the SCAC in both scoring and rebounding entering Friday's action and was fifth in the SCAC in field goal percentage and third in offensive rebounds. The Ladies outrebounded the 'Roos, 47-44, and entered the game as one of the top rebounding teams in the SCAC, ranking fifth in the league in both rebounding offense and defense.
The Ladies wrap up their season on Saturday night with a 7 p.m. game against the University of Dallas. Small and fellow senior Essa Badon (Prairieville, La.) will be honored in a special pregame Senior Day ceremony before tip-off. The game was originally scheduled for 6 p.m. but was moved to accommodate travels plans for the Crusaders coming from Houston on Friday.
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletics events.
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