ANDERSON, S.C. - Using a late offensive surge, Lenoir-Rhyne held off Anderson, 66-61, in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball action Wednesday evening at the Abney Athletic Center.
Anderson (6-5, 2-1 SAC) suffered its third straight setback as the Trojans opened a three-game conference homestand by hosting Lenoir-Rhyne (5-6, 2-1 SAC), which snapped a five-game winless skid with the victory.
After sophomore guard Alissa Diaz gave the Trojans a brief 61-60 lead with a runner in the lane with 1:33 left in the contest, Lenoir-Rhyne's Whiltley Culler answered with a driving layup to give the Bears' a 62-61 edge.
Anderson was unable to convert on its next possession, while the Bears converted two free throws to build a three-point lead with just 21.6 seconds remaining. With time running down, AU's Alexa Neal nearly connected on a game-tying 3-pointer, but her shot with less than seven seconds on the clock caromed off the backboard and the rim. LRU's Whitley Brinkley grabbed the rebound and hit two free throws with 4.9 seconds left to seal the win.
Lenoir-Rhyne shot an impressive 49 percent from the field and held a 32-28 advantage on the boards.
Diaz came off the bench to score a team-high 17 points, while forward Tilde Ahlin added 10 points. Sophomore forward Breonda Shannon garnered a game-high nine rebounds.
The Trojans continue their three-game homestand as league-leader Catawba invades the Abney Center for a Saturday afternoon matinee at 2 p.m.
