SPARTANBURG, S.C.- With the score tied at 60-all with 1:47 remaining in the fourth quarter, Lees-McRae (3-10, 2-4) converted 4-4 from the charity stripe despite shooting 53% from the line on the season. Converse (2-8, 1-5) made one final push but ran out of time falling to the Bobcats 66-64 in Conference Carolinas action on Friday night.
Brianna James (Spartanburg, S.C.) tied her career-high with 20 points in the contest posting 13 in the first half. Paige Johnson (Greenville, S.C.) also tied her career-high netting 13 points going 3-6 from behind the arc. Johnson added five assists to her total.
Logan Hollis (Spartanburg, S.C.) hauled in a team-high eight boards to go with her eight points. Yashee Johnson (West Columbia, S.C.) grabbed seven boards, five steals and a season-high four rejections.
Converse started off the contest on fire jumping out to 11-2 advantage. Bri James started off getting fouled and going 1-2 from the line. James also converted on the fastbreak followed by a jumper from the elbow from Khrystal Ellis (Greenville, S.C.). Back-to-back threes by Kassidy Moorhouse (Anderson, S.C.) and James forced LMC to call the timeout.
Converse pushed the lead out to 20-10 before LMC went on an 8-0 run to end the first quarter.
The Valkyries would push things out to 27-22 in the second quarter but once again the Bobcats tied it up with seven minutes left in the half. LMC and Converse traded baskets throughout the remainder of the half before LMC took a two point lead into the break at 37-35.
LMC maintained their lead throughout the second half pushing things out to an nine point contest in the third quarter at 48-39. The Valkyries fought back to make it 53-49 heading into the final quarter.
Converse went on an 8-2 run sparked by a Yashee Johnson lay-up and short jumper. Paige Johnson gave the Valkyries the lead at 57-55 with 4:40 remaining in the game hitting a triple from the wing. The Bobcats tied things up at 58-all and 60-all before taking the lead with 1:06 remaining.
Bri James cut the deficit down to 64-62 with six seconds left. LMC knocked down both free throws on the ensuing possession. Paige Johnson hit a runner as the time ran out on the Valkyries.
Converse had a season-high nine blocks in the contest. The Valkyries had the slight advantage on the glass 37-35. The Valkyries connected on a season-high eight treys with three from P. Johnson and Bri James and two from Moorhouse.
The Valkyries returns to the hardwood on Saturday in a Conference Carolinas contest against King. Tip-off is at 2pm.