For the final time in the year 2022, the women's basketball team played a home basketball game. The team finished the 2022 portion of their home schedule with an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) game against the Brenau University Golden Tigers on Wednesday.
TWU came out blazing, scoring the first ten points of the game to lead 10-0 four minutes into the game. Mikalee Martin and Jordan Wright combined to score the points for the Lady Bulldogs. Points from Ella Crowder, Abbey Barr, and Ashley Baxter kept the team ahead by double-digits, making the score 15-5. Baskets from Yeika Jimenez Diaz and Anna Crowder helped the team take a 20-10 lead into the second quarter.
Like the first quarter, Tennessee Wesleyan scored the first ten points of the second quarter. Wright, Martin, who hit back-to-back three-pointers, and Cambree Mayo turned the team's lead into a 20-point advantage with the score 30-10. The end of the half saw Baxter, Jaci Powell, Barr, and Martin all score, moving the lead to 39-25 at the halftime break.
Brenau scored the first six points of the second half to cut the lead down to eight points. A pair of free throws from Martin, a Wright jumper, and a Jimenez Diaz stopped the threat and pushed the Lady Bulldogs ahead 44-31 with six minutes left in the third quarter. TWU continued to build their lead back up to the comfortable margin, with back-to-back baskets from Barr, a pair of free throws from Wright, and a jumper from Jimenez Diaz making the score 53-33. After a few baskets by the opponents, a three-pointer from Mayo along with a pair of free throws from Wright, and a Jacelyn Stone three-point basket gave the Lady Bulldogs their largest lead of the game of 21 points, a score of 61-40. The score at the end of the quarter was 61-43.
Defense and timely made shots helped the team maintain their lead in the fourth quarter. A few of the timely shots came on Mayo and Jimenez Diaz three-point jumpers, moving the lead to 67-49 with four minutes remaining in the game. A score by Baxter and Jimenez Diaz moved the team over the 70-point mark, and a jumper by Sierra Bates made the score 73-55. The game concluded with a Bates free throw, helping the team win the game 74-57 to break a three-game losing streak.
Martin led four scorers in double digits with a career-high 17 points. Wright (12), Jimenez Diaz (11), and Barr (10) also scored in double figures. Wright and A. Crowder led the rebounding efforts with seven rebounds each.
Tennessee Wesleyan (6-4, 4-4 AAC) closes out the 2022 portion of the regular season with an AAC contest at Union College on Saturday. Tip off in Barbourville is set for 2:00 p.m.
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