BREVARD, N.C. - Just three days after an electric first-round home victory that marked the program's first postseason victory in the NCAA era, the Brevard College women's basketball team (15-10) heads to Berea, Kentucky to face West Division top-seed Berea College (20-5) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Seabury Center.
The Tornados prevailed in a 73-64 victory over Maryville College on Saturday evening at the Boshamer Gymnasium.
Four Tornados reached double-figure scoring totals, as Aysha Short led the way with 15 points off the bench, while Makenna Parkins had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Destiny Williams had a double-double with 11 points and 12 boards, while Shakirah Thompson hit three 3-pointers to total 11 points.
Brevard held Maryville to just 32% shooting from the field while the Tornados hit nine 3-pointers. BC dominated the boards, 52-36, and scored 17 second-chance buckets. BC scored 30 points in the paint and totaled 32 bench points, which proved the difference as Brevard outscored Maryville 32-2 bench points.
Berea earned the top seed in the west division by virtue of a 14-1 record against USA South opponents.
The Tornados and Mountaineers played a pair of tight contests over the course of the regular season, with Berea able to pull away late in both affairs.
In game one at The Bosh, Brevard held a two-point halftime lead before the visitors outscored the Tornados by nine in the second half to claim a 69-62 win. Senior guard Ty'She Washington posted a season-best 21 points, while Makenna Parkins added 15 points in the defeat.
The second game was played in Berea on January 29, and was tightly contested until the fourth quarter. The score was tied 43-43 heading into the final period before the Mountaineers outscored the Tornados 24-13 down the stretch for the 11-point victory.
Destiny Williams scored a team-high 19 points with a season-high six assists and five rebounds, making seven field goals. Shakirah Thompson added nine points on three made 3-pointers, while Avery Lockwood added five points and seven rebounds.
Williams leads all Tornado scorers in 2021-22 with 17 points-per-game, while Parkins also is averaging double figures with 12.1 ppg to go alongside six rebounds-per-game. Williams leads the USA South with 3.4 steals-per-game and 85 steals, a mark that ranks top-10 in all of NCAA DIII. Thompson is top-five in the conference in 3-pointers made with
Berea has been led by three double-digit scorers, with Aaliyah Hampton leading the way with 17.8 ppg. Destiny Combs (13.5 ppg) and Bailee Vanover (12.8 ppg) also are in double-figure scoring averages. Combs is averaging a double-double, with 11.2 rebounds-per-contest.
Williams comes into play on Tuesday near or at the top of every major statistical category in Brevard's NCAA era. The graduate student is BC's all-time leader in rebounds (678), surpassing the previous record-holder Madison Lenox's 646 career boards. Williams ranks second in career points (1,289) and steals (265), while placing third in offensive rebounds (203) and blocks (81).
Additionally, Williams is just the second Tornado to surpass 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists and 200 steals at Brevard College, joining former All-American Lenox as the only two Tornados to accomplish that feat.
The winner of Tuesday's prime-time matchup will face the winner of the 2-3 matchup in the East division between no. 2 Greensboro and no. 3 NC Wesleyan.
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-BC-