Irving, Texas - The Centenary women's basketball team fell 73-59 to the University of Dallas Crusaders on Friday evening in a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference game at the Maher Center.
The Ladies are now 2-20 overall and 2-11 SCAC while the Crusaders improved to 9-11 and 5-7 SCAC. Centenary lost both games this season against Dallas after falling 68-44 at home on Dec. 30.
Centenary shot 32.7 % (17-52) from the floor for the game, 4-17 (23.5 %) from beyond the arc, and 21-31 from the free throw line for 67.7 %. Dallas finished a strong 52.2 % (24-46) overall, went 3-11 (27.3 %) from the 3-point line, and 68.8 % (22-32) from the FT line. Dallas won the rebounding battle 36-28 and got 46 of its 73 total points from two players – a game high 24 from Alyssa Sullivan and 22 from Caroline Croft.
Three Ladies reached double figures as freshman F Kyra Stokes (Shreveport, La.) and freshman G Brailey Major (Opelousas, La.) each scored 11 and Sophomore G Dymon Drumgo (Alexandria, La.) was right behind them with 10.
Freshman F Makalyn Savoy (Opelousas, La.) scored a season-high eight points in a season-high 14 minutes played off the bench. Sophomore G Alana Jones (Shreveport, La.) added six points and freshman G Olivia Sepulvado (Zwolle, La.) scored five. Freshman G Lauren Castillo (Keller, Texas), freshman G Madison Davis (Shreveport, La.), and freshman G TaNyjah Plumber (Kinder, La.) each scored two points. Freshman G Keyonna Armelin (New Iberia, La.) and junior G Tamia Alexander (Breaux Bridge, La.) each scored one point. Freshman G Amiyah Barrow (Baton Rouge, La.) did not score but had two assists.
Sullivan and Croft were the only two Dallas players to reach double figures but Ashley Hall and Bailey Melton each scored seven and Maria Dicenta added six. Adryan Alvarez and Imani Hardin combined for seven points. Sullivan and MK Pendergraft each grabbed six rebounds to lead the Crusaders and eight Dallas players grabbed at least three boards.
Stokes grabbed a game-high eight rebounds and was 5-7 from the FT line in 19 minutes with a blocked shot and a steal. Jones grabbed five rebounds and added a pair of assists and two steals in 30 minutes. Drumgo reached double figures for the 10th time this season, with eight coming in conference play. Drumgo has scored in double figures in five-straight games and in six of her last seven. Sepulvado had a solid game with three assists and two rebounds in 24 minutes on 2-6 shooting.
The Crusaders led 17-9 after the first quarter, but the Ladies outscored them 19-17 in the second period to only trail 34-28 at halftime. Dallas edged the Ladies 17-14 in the third quarter to take a 51-42 lead into the final 10 minutes and then outscored the Maroon and White 22-17 to seal the win.
Dallas finished with a decisive advantage in points in the paint- 42-14 and got 34 points from its bench compared to 29 from Centenary's reserves. The Crusaders turned the ball over 22 times and the Ladies scored 18 points off of those miscues. Centenary turned it over 16 times which led to eight points for Dallas. Each team scored seven second-chance points and the Ladies finished with a 12-5 edge in fast break points.
The Ladies got down 17-5 late in the first quarter and were behind by 13 (27-14) with 7:29 remaining before the half, but went on a 13-5 run which was capped by a Stokes free throw with 33 seconds on the clock before the half to make it a 32-27 game. Centenary remained in striking distance for most of the third quarter and when Major nailed a trey at the 6:11 mark of the third period the Ladies only trailed 41-36. A Tamia Alexander at the 2:00 mark got the Ladies within four at 46-42, but the Crusaders scored the final five points to take a 51-42 lead into the final 10 minutes.
Centenary scored five quick points in the opening minutes of the final quarter but then were held scoreless for nearly four minutes as the Crusaders began to pull away. A layup by Croft at the 7:06 mark gave the home team a 10-point lead (59-49) and the Ladies were only able to cut their deficit to nine points the remainder of the way.
Centenary will face Austin College (1-20, 0-12 SCAC) on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Sherman, Texas to wrap up their weekend. Centenary defeated the 'Roos 68-62 in Shreveport on Dec. 31.
See the Ladies' complete season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/wbkb/2022-23/schedule
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests. Live stats and live video stream are available for all Centenary home contests.
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