LEBANON, Tenn.--Katherine Griffith found success in the paint with 18 points while Kerrice Watson put together 16 on an excellent effort from behind the arc, but the Phoenix fell short in the fourth quarter to 14th-ranked Lindsey Wilson, 76-67, tonight in Dallas Floyd Phoenix Arena.
Cumberland (5-9, 0-4 MSC) took a three point lead into the final period of play, outdoing No.14 Lindsey Wilson (13-3, 2-1 MSC) by a wide margin in shooting percentage-- 53.8% as opposed to Lindsey Wilson’s 41.0%. A large disparity in fouls and turnovers in Lindsey Wilson’s favor as well as an offensive struggle over the fourth saw Cumberland fall out of contention.
Griffith and Watson led all Phoenix scorers on the night with 18 and 16 points, respectively, the duo being very efficient from the floor. Britany Miller was the only other player to break into double-digit scoring, posting a double-double with 10 points and a game high 12 rebounds.
Four Lindsey Wilson players put together double-digit scoring nights, led by a pair of guards that earned more than 20 points each. Raegan Turner scored 23 while her running mate Jynea Harris contributed 20 of her own. DeAsia Outlaw and J’Nyah Hall tied at 12 points each.
Cumberland came out of the gates playing loose with the ball, losing it via turnover on its opening two possessions, falling behind Lindsey Wilson, 7-0. Ashlyn Pittman started the scoring effort for the Phoenix at the 7:37 mark in the first, hitting a three from the far side of the court. Mackenzie Trouten cut into the lane, laying up a shot to cut the Blue Raider lead to a single score, 9-7. Watson hit the first of her five made shots from deep on the night to give the team its first lead of the game 10-9 with six minutes remaining in the first.
The Phoenix’s charge to take the lead was followed by a four minute stretch without a score, Lindsey Wilson taking a 17-10 advantage. Pittman ended the drought with a bucket from just inside of the arc, 17-12, the quarter ending with Lindsey Wilson enjoying a 22-14 lead.
Watson rocked home a three from the deep left corner to pull the Phoenix within seven at 27-20 with 7:25 left in the half. Abby Morgan spun off a defender before pulling up for a mid-range jumper, sparking the Phoenix into outscoring Lindsey Wilson 12-4 over the final five minutes of the second. Morgan fed the ball to Griffith on the post as Lindsey Wilson’s lead continued to dwindle at 34-29. Watson sunk yet another three to move the score to 36-32, this time a shot from NBA range over multiple Lindsey Wilson defenders. Cumberland carried the momentum into the locker room for halftime down only two, 38-36.
The Phoenix second quarter momentum continued through the third, Watson giving the team its first lead since early in the first at 41-38 off a three. The team’s traded blows over the course of the third, but a Griffith hook shot and a physical Miller bucket down low forced a Lindsey Wilson timeout with 4:25 remaining, Cumberland leading 47-44. Back-to-back threes from Morgan and then Lucy Chilcut gave the Phoenix its largest lead of the night at 57-52 with 16 seconds left in the third.
Trouten assisted Griffith on the first made basket of the fourth by the Phoenix three minutes into the quarter down 60-59. Again, the ball was fed to Griffith down low as she posted up her man, making a strong move to the basket, but the Blue Raiders continued to pull away, 66-62. Miller hit a shot from the key while falling over to pull within six at 70-64, but a flurry of Lindsey Wilson free throws saw the game end at 76-67.
The Phoenix return to action in Dallas Floyd Phoenix Arena this Thursday, facing conference foe University of the Cumberlands at 6 p.m.
