FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Trailing by as many as 16 points in the third period, Meredith College basketball fought back to finish off the USA South rival Methodist Monarchs 52-49 Saturday afternoon. Kimberly Schuh led the game with her second career double-double on 22 points, 11 rebounds.

With 26 seconds left in the game and a one-point deficit on the scoreboard, Schuh collected an offensive board on a missed free throw from Kirstie King to keep the Angels alive. She followed with a layup to put Meredith up by one.

MU whistled for a timeout but threw the ball away on the inbounds play, and the Avenging Angels' Melinda Campbell brought her team to the bench to establish a plan for the final seconds of regulation. The Monarchs fouled quickly, but Schuh dropped in both free throws to secure Meredith's fourth win in five outings.

The Avenging Angels struggled from the field throughout the game, especially from three-point range. In five of their last games, Meredith shot more than 25 percent from long range, including two contests above 50. But the tenacious Angels managed their fouls on the defensive end and remained poised down the stretch to chip away at MU's lead.

With the rest of today's action across the league, Meredith sits in sixth place one half game behind the N.C. Wesleyan Bishops. With two weeks left in the regular season, the Angels are playing well and working towards a top-six East Division finish to advance to the conference tournament. Division playoffs are set to begin the weekend of February 16.

King finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and Chandler Hines dropped in her lone three in the second period. Brittany Preston grabbed four boards and picked up a pair of assists.

Monarch Kayla Goldsmith led Methodist with 11 points, nine rebounds on the night.

Sunday's game versus the Bishops is slated for a 2 p.m. tip off. Follow the live action HERE.