MACON, Ga. - The Brevard College women's basketball team (5-8, 3-4 USAS) used a 15-6 run in overtime to pull out a 65-56 victory over Wesleyan College (0-14) on Friday evening at Central Georgia Technical College in Macon, Georgia.
The win was highlighted by Brevard's impressive work on the glass. The Tornados secured a school-record 73 rebounds, trumping the previous single-game mark set on February 17, 2018, against Pfeiffer (56 rebounds).
Junior forward Destiny Williams led Brevard's record-breaking rebounding effort by grabbing a career-high 21 boards, which set the new BC women's basketball single-game record for rebounds. Williams' 21-rebound total supplanted the previous record held by Samantha Winn who recorded 19 boards on January 12, 2009.
Williams added a near triple-double effort to her record-breaking rebounding total, scoring 12 points while dishing out a game-high seven assists. The Aiken, South Carolina native also tallied four steals and two blocks on the evening.
Deja Riddick led all scorers with 16 points in addition to hauling in a career-high 18 rebounds that included a team-best seven offensive boards. Sharpshooter Shakirah Thompson added 15 points that included three 3-pointers made, while senior center Krysta Davis grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds.
Wesleyan's well-balanced attack was led by Davina Brown who poured in 15 points off the bench. The Wolves' efforts on the glass were bolstered by Ta'Liyah Slocumb's 10 rebounds.
Friday night's tightly-contested affair featured a total of eight ties that were accompanied by two total lead changes.
The Tornados held a slim two-point, 16-14 lead after the first quarter. Thompson led BC's charge in the first quarter by draining her trio of long-range shots for nine points in the period.
Brevard was able to extend its lead to a five-point lead, 29-24, at the halftime intermission. Williams posted four points and five rebounds during the second period, while Taryn Ledford scored five points that included a 3-point bucket.
A low-scoring third quarter was beneficial to the Wolves, as they cut Brevard's lead to a two-point, 36-34 margin after Wesleyan outscored the Tornados 10-7. BC was hampered by cold shooting in the third quarter, shooting just 3-of-20 from the field and a 0-of-9 mark from long range in the third period.
Wesleyan used a 7-0 scoring run in the fourth period to take its first lead of the evening, 42-40, with 5:49 left to play following a Kelsey Houpt layup. The Wolves would hold this lead into the final minutes of the game before a pair of Williams' free throws tied the game, 48-48, with 1:18 left to play.
As the game entered its final stages, Brevard's last possession of regulation was capped off by Breana Ware, who hit a mid-range jump shot with six seconds left to play to give BC a 50-48 lead. However, the Wolves were able to answer right back, as a last-second foul sent Nala Lawrence to the line, who's pair of made free throws tied things up at 50 apiece, sending the game to overtime.
The Tornados played their best offensive basketball of the contest in the overtime period, as Brevard started the frame on a 10-0 scoring run to all but seal the victory. BC shot 60% from the field (3-of-5) while knocking in 9-of-10 shots at the charity stripe to seal a hard-fought 65-56 victory.
Friday's win gives the Tornados their first back-to-back victories of the 2019-20 campaign.
Brevard will now return home to prepare to face Maryville College on Tuesday, January 14 at 6 p.m. at the Boshamer Gymnasium.
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