WALESKA, Ga. – The Bryan College Lady Lions fought back from a 19-point deficit but couldn't complete the comeback, falling to Reinhardt 71-64 Saturday afternoon.
Freshman
Molly Brown led the Lady Lions with 16 points, while reserve
Kaylynn Walls provided a huge spark off the bench with 15 points in 23 minutes.
Alyssa Petty added 11 points for Bryan.
The Lady Lions dominated the paint, outscoring the Eagles 38-22 in the lane and controlling the offensive glass for 13 second-chance points. Senior forward
Kadee Ferrell pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds while contributing six points.
Bryan stayed competitive in the first half, trailing just 32-24 at the break. However, a disastrous third quarter saw the Lady Lions manage only eight points on 1-of-12 shooting while Reinhardt erupted for 19 points to build a commanding 51-32 lead heading into the fourth.
The Lady Lions showed tremendous heart in the final period, exploding for 32 points in the quarter. Brown scored 10 of her 16 points in the fourth, while Walls added 10 in the frame. The bench duo combined to score 20 of Bryan's 32 fourth-quarter points as the Lady Lions clawed back into contention.
Despite the furious rally, Bryan's shooting woes proved insurmountable. The Lady Lions shot just 33.3% from the field for the game and struggled mightily from three-point range, converting only 3-of-22 attempts (13.6%). The third quarter was particularly brutal, as Bryan went 0-for-4 from beyond the arc and 8.3% overall.
Autumn Davis finished with six points, three assists and two steals for the Lady Lions, while
Sydney Neale added four points.
Bryan's bench outscored Reinhardt's reserves 21-6, with Walls leading the way.
Leah Stinnett and
Ellie Graham also contributed to the bench effort, with Graham hitting a crucial three-pointer late in the game.
The Lady Lions took care of the basketball, committing just 12 turnovers compared to Reinhardt's 23, and converted those miscues into 18 points. However, Reinhardt's 52% shooting from the field and 35.3% from three-point range proved to be the difference.
Bryan will look to regroup and return to their winning ways as they continue conference play. The Lady Lions remain in strong position in the conference standings at 15-3.
