COLUMBIA, S.C. — The St. Andrews University women’s basketball team dropped their fifth straight game to rival Columbia College (S.C.) 58-55 earlier this week.

The Lady Knights had a slim one-point lead, 16-15, by the end of the first quarter. The St. Andrews offense went cold as Columbia’s defense held the Lady Knights to just eight points in the second quarter.

The unproductive second quarter saw St. Andrews trialing by seven at the break, 31-24. Each team missed all of their threes in the first half. The Lady Knights were held to under 30 percent from the floor.

The third quarter was a low-scoring affair as Columbia narrowly outgained St. Andrews, 14-8, to take a 45-32 lead heading into the final quarter. The Lady Knights found their offense in the fourth as Columbia began to miss from the free-throw line.

St. Andrews outscored the Lady Koalas 23-13, but it was not enough to overcome their first-half shortcomings falling to Columbia by three, 58-55.

Columbia finished the game shooting 38 percent while St. Andrews shot just 33 percent. The Lady Knights shot 33 percent from three and 68 percent from the free- throw line while Columbia missed most of their free throws.

Freshman forward Morgan Perkins was a big force on the inside as she led the Lady Knights with 17 points and a season-high 16 rebounds. Perkins also had a season and conference-high six blocks and a team-best five steals for her third double-double of the year.

Fellow freshman forward Aquera Johnson added 10 points and 11 rebounds — her third double-double of the season — to go along with four assists and two steals.

Sophomore guard Samantha Ring was the third member of the Lady Knights to finish in double figures with 10 points, three rebounds, a block and a steal.

Freshman guard Nijha Shannon added nine points, an assist and a steal. Junior guard Kayla Clifton scored five points with two rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

The Lady Knights fall to 5-12 on the season and 3-11 in the conference while Columbia improves to 7-4 in the AAC and 10-5 overall.

St. Andrews returned home on Thursday to host Montreat College (4-14).

Perkins
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/web1_Perkins.jpgPerkins

By Troy Baranik

SAU Sports Information Director