DUE WEST, S.C. – The Converse (5-8, 1-4 CC) basketball team dropped a heartbreaking 61-59 conference contest to Erskine (4-7, 3-2 CC) on Tuesday evening. The Valkyries led for more than 75% of the contest, but could not close the game out, dropping their fourth consecutive contest.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Converse 59, Lander 61
Records: Converse (5-8, 1-4 CC), Erskine (4-7, 3-2 CC)
Location: Due West, S.C.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Needing only 10 points to reach the 1,000-point club, Brianna James posted a team-high 16 to lead the Purple and Gold.
- Paige Johnson filled the stat sheet, contributing 10 points to go along with four steals and three assists.
- The Valkyries shot 41.4% (24-58) from the field, while holding Erskine to a dismal 23-of-65 (35.4%) from the floor.
- Megan Davis led all scorers with a game-high 24 points
- The Flying Fleet controlled the boards, 46-37
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Converse jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead following a jumper from James and a pair of free throws by Abigail Lewis. However, Erskine reeled off 11 in a row to take a seven-point lead (11-4) with 5:26 left on the first quarter clock. Shakori Jennings-Shuler's layup capped off a 10-2 run that reestablished the lead for the Vals (14-13). The two teams traded a basket each and that one-point lead remained heading into the second period.
Second Quarter
Six straight from the Valkyries to start the second frame gave Converse the lead at 22-15. The rest of the period was a seesaw battle and Converse went into the half leading by six points (33-26). The Valkyries bench outscored Erskine's 11-2 during the second frame.
Third Quarter
A Brianna Hill three ball sandwiched in between two Lewis buckets to open the third gave Converse its biggest lead of the contest (40-27) with seven and a half to play. The lead ballooned to 14 (45-31), but Erskine scored the last nine points of the quarter to close the gap to 45-40 heading into the final session.
Fourth Quarter
The Flying Fleet used a 7-2 run to knot the contest at 47-all just three minutes into the fourth. Marshea Murray drilled a jumper with 1:03 remaining to give the Valkyries a 59-54 lead, but Erskine scored seven straight, including a pair of free throws by Madison Whitt with seven ticks left on the clock to give the Fleet the come-from-behind 61-59 victory.
TURNING POINT
After Murray's jumper with just over a minute remaining in the contest Erskine went 5-for-6 from the charity stripe and knocked down a game-tying three with 28 seconds left to complete the comeback.
UP NEXT
Converse will return to the court on Friday, January 5 as it travels to Tigerville, S.C. to take on the Crusaders of North Greenville University. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.