BREVARD, N.C. – Backed by a critical fourth-quarter comeback, the Brevard College women's basketball team (11-4, 8-1 USA South) outscore Southern Virginia University (7-8, 6-3 USAS) 29-14 down the stretch and claimed a critical USA South Conference home victory, 78-70, on Saturday evening at the Boshamer Gymnasium.
The best start in the NCAA era continues for BC women's basketball, who improves to a record 11-4 mark through the first 15 games of the regular season.
Junior guard Calli Wells surged for 17 points in reserve action for the Tornados, going 6-of-13 from the field with a 3-of-6 mark from long range to pace BC's offense beyond the arc. Junior forward Makenna Parkins scored 15 points, including a 6-of-9 mark from the free throw line, while also adding a team-high eight rebounds. Naliyah Boyce scored 11 points with four rebounds, while Journey Tyler scored 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field. Freshman forward Olivia Miller scored eight points while stuffing the stat sheet with five rebounds and three assists, while Chyna Pouncey also scored eight points. Makayla Street scored six points with seven rebounds.
SVU was paced by four double-digit scorers, with Presley Heggie, Alyssa McKrola, and Abigail Snyder each scored 13 points while Emma Camden added 11.
Brevard shot 41% from the field to SVU's 39% mark, and the Tornados hit five 3-pointers to help kickstart the comeback effort. The biggest difference came at the charity stripe, where Brevard went 23-of-30 for a 77% clip compared to a 15-for-26 effort from Southern Virginia (58%). Each side grabbed 39 rebounds apiece, but BC's bench was able to hold a 34-20 edge on bench points.
As advertised, the contest proved hotly contested, with eight ties and eight lead changes throughout the heavyweight bout between two of the top teams in the conference.
Behind a well-balanced attack in the first quarter where four Tornados scored multiple buckets, Brevard held a four-point advantage at 21-17 through one quarter of play.
With the score all knotted up at 28 apiece with 3:57 left in the first half, Southern Virginia surged forward with a 9-0 scoring run to take a 37-28 lead. BC was able to battle back with six unanswered points to end the half, as the Tornados trailed by three points at the intermission.
The early stages of the third period proved all Knights, as the visitors began the second half on a 10-2 scoring run to claim a game-high 11-point advantage, 47-36, at the 6:58 mark. However, the Tornados would not be deterred, as Brevard strung together a 10-0 run capped by a Street putback layup to cut the deficit to one point. SVU was able to reclaim some cushion, holding a 56-49 edge at the end of the third quarter.
Trailing by nine points, BC put together a remarkable 17-2 scoring run capped by a Boyce free throw at the 4:21 mark that flipped the script of the game, as the Tornados held a 66-60 lead. Brevard was able to use clutch free throw shooting and stout defense to close out the eight-point win, 78-70, as the Tornados picked up their eighth USA South win of the season and kept hold of their second-place position in the conference.
Women's Basketball: ������������⬆️������ ������������������
— Brevard College Athletics (@BCTornados) January 16, 2023
Check out the highlights from @BrevardCollege @TornadosWBB's thrilling 78-70 victory over Southern Virginia last Saturday at The Bosh (Courtesy of @mitchellyoder_) #NadoNation #d3hoops pic.twitter.com/8eqs5rbmdi
The Tornados dip out of conference play briefly to take on Warren Wilson College on Monday, January 16 at 6 p.m. at the Boshamer Gymnasium.
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-BC-
