Box Score RALEIGH, N.C. - The Meredith College basketball team heads to the USA South Conference Tournament next week for the first time since 2010 after completing the regular season in fifth place in North division standings. Sunday's hard-fought 79-74 loss to the Averett Cougars helped prepare the Avenging Angels for action later this week.
Head Coach Melinda Campbell and her team saluted senior players Rah'nika Jones and Tyler Gresham just prior to tip-off with the Cougars.
Averett opened the action Sunday 10-4, and Meredith ended the run with the next three baskets to tie the game for the first of 14 occasions.
Each team enjoyed a run during the next 4:16 leaving the Avenging Angels ahead 18-16 with 8:33 remaining in the half.
Back-and-forth play left the teams tied at 37 headed into the break.
The fast-paced game remained close through the first seven minutes after the intermission with the score tied for the eleventh time at 54.
Jessi Hayes drained a jumper and Keyanka Bailey followed with a three-point play to give Meredith their largest lead at 59-54.
A couple of missed opportunities let Averett pull to within one before Kim Hinton led a 9-4 charge to push Meredith back up by six.
Averett's tenacious full court pressure gave the Cougars their first lead in nearly 10 minutes, but Jones put back an offensive board to tie the game at 70 with 4:31 left on the clock.
AU's Shannon Smith followed with a quick two, and Meredith's McKenzi Edwards scored on a Bailey offensive rebound two possessions later.
An unforced error by the Avenging Angels gave the ball back to Averett, and Nicole Garcia took advantage netting a three pointer on the play to give the Cougars a three point lead with 2:32 to go.
Neither team found the rim during the next two minutes until Averett's Alexis Sollars hit a pair of free throws to extend the AU lead to five with seconds remaining.
Edwards scored quickly and Campbell whistled for a timeout, but an Avenging Angel foul sent the Cougars to the line with 3.2 seconds left on the clock to seal the win.
Edwards tallied 20 points, four assists and two steals, and Bailey added a dozen points and 13 rebounds for her third double-double this season. Laquetta Hairston finished with seven assists. Led by by Asia Milton, Meredith nearly doubled their three-point effort with 50% shooting from behind the arc.
Four Cougars finished in double figures with Brianna Taylor leading the way with 23. Garcia and Da'Shane Hardy recorded five assists apiece in the win.
Meredith travels to Ferrum Thursday for a 7 p.m. round-one game tournament game. The winner will advance to the semifinals Friday, February 28, at 7 p.m.
Follow the tournament action live thanks to the Panther sports information team.
Live stats | Video
2014 USA South Women's Basketball Tournament Seeding
| North Division |
| Seed |
Team |
Record |
| #1 |
Ferrum |
17-2 |
| #2 |
Greensboro |
16-3 |
| #3 |
Methodist |
11-8 |
| #4 |
N.C. Wesleyan |
10-9 |
| #5 |
Meredith |
7-12 |
| -- |
Averett |
6-13 |
| -- |
William Peace |
5-14 |
| -- |
Mary Baldwin |
0-19 |
| |
South Division |
|
| #1 |
Maryville |
13-3 |
| #2 |
Piedmont |
11-5 |
| #3 |
LaGrange |
9-7 |
| -- |
Huntingdon |
7-9 |
| -- |
Covenant |
4-12 |
Tournament Website | Tournament Bracket
| North Division |
| Seed |
Team |
Record |
| #1 |
Ferrum |
17-2 |
| #2 |
Greensboro |
16-3 |
| #3 |
Methodist |
11-8 |
| #4 |
N.C. Wesleyan |
10-9 |
| #5 |
Meredith |
7-12 |
| -- |
Averett |
6-13 |
| -- |
William Peace |
5-14 |
| -- |
Mary Baldwin |
0-19 |
| |
South Division |
|
| #1 |
Maryville |
13-3 |
| #2 |
Piedmont |
11-5 |
| #3 |
LaGrange |
9-7 |
| -- |
Huntingdon |
7-9 |
| -- |
Covenant |
4-1 |
