GREENVILLE, S.C. - Despite a career-high 16 rebounds from junior Jennifer Monroe, top-seeded Anderson University women's basketball snapped an 18-game winning streak and dropped to third-seeded Newberry, 64-58, in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament championship game Sunday afternoon at Timmons Arena.
With the setback, the Trojans seek an at-large bid into next weekend's Southeast Regional as they carry an overall record of 25-4. The Wolves, who entered the tournament as the No. 7 ranked team in the Southeast Region, move to 21-10 on the season and earn the automatic bid into the regional tournament.
Sophomore guard Heather Jankowy paced the Black and Gold with 12 points, while senior Lesley Woods added 10 points, including three made 3-pointers. With the three treys, Woods becomes the most prolific 3-point shooter in program history, as she passed LaShonda Chiles for first place with 241 made 3-pointers for her career.
Moving down the scoresheet, senior guard Sierra Simpson added nine points while Jasmine Franklin tallied eight points as both players were named to the SAC All-Tournament Team following the contest.
On the boards, junior forward Jennifer Monroe grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds, including nine offensive boards, as the Trojans won the rebounding battle, 50-42. The 50-rebound game marks the sixth time this season AU has grabbed 50 or more rebounds for a game.
Newberry placed four players in double figures, as guard Colleen Leung led the way with 17 points coming off the bench. All-SAC First Team selections Samantha Creed and Haylee Lepaio followed the guard with 27 combined points, as Lepaio notched a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Guard Nicola Handreck posted 13 points headlined by three made 3-pointers.
Anderson controlled in the early parts of the first half by jumping out to a 10-5 lead, as Franklin scored four points in the span. The Trojans continued to cling to their lead until the 10:44 mark when Lepaio sank a pair of free throws to give the Wolves their first lead of the contest at 13-12.
The two free throws were a part of a 9-0 by the No. 3 seed as they grabbed a five-point advantage when Lepaio scored underneath the basket. Despite the bucket, Anderson bounced back with five unanswered points from Jankowy capped off by a 3-pointer from the wing. With the scoring streak by the Walhalla, S.C. native, AU retook an 18-17 lead with 4:40 remaining.
After the teams traded baskets on the next two possessions, Handreck drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give Newberry a lead it would hold on to for the remainder of the period. Newberry closed the opening stanza by going 4-for-6 from the free throw line in the final three minutes to set the halftime score at 28-23.
After AU evened the score at 30-30, Handrek sank another trey from the top of the circle to give Newberry a lead. Despite the 3-pointer, the lead was short-lived as AU fired back with four straight points from Simpson and sophomore Alexis Dillard to give the Trojans a lead at 34-33.
With Anderson still carrying a three-lead at the 11:40 mark, Leung capitalized on a traditional three-point play which evened the score for the fifth time at 38-38 with 11 minutes to play. Handreck dropped in a lay-up on the Wolves' next possession and handed Newberry a lead it would not relinquish.
The Wolf attack continued over the next two minutes as they earned a nine-point lead with just under eight minutes remaining, as the scoring stretch was highlighted by a Creed 3-pointer from the wing. The long-range jumper was Creed's lone trey of the contest.
Anderson tried to produce a comeback on a couple of occasions, as Woods and Jankowy combined for back-to-back 3-pointers that would cut its deficit to three with 6:49 remaining, but Newberry countered with four unanswered points to increase its lead to seven with less than seven minutes remaining.
With the momentum in NC's favor, the Trojans clawed back once again and evened the score at 55-55 with 4:33 remaining when they recorded a 6-0 run. Despite the momentum shift by to the Black and Gold, Leung knocked in a deep 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down, as the guard recorded Newberry's final nine points to set the final score at 64-58. Leung closed the game with a 6-for-8 performance from the line in the final 2:18.
Anderson shifts its focus to the NCAA Tournament, seeking one of the Southeast Region's five at-large bids. The Division II NCAA Tournament Selection Show is scheduled to air at 10 p.m. on NCAA.com.
