Box Score Greensboro, NC - The Piedmont College women's basketball team felt the effects of their first back-to-back conference weekend earlier today falling by 16 to USA South member Greensboro College, a loss which snapped a five-game winning streak for PC.  Also their first defeat in conference play, Piedmont struggled to recover on the road in the second of a two-game set over two days shooting just under 36% compared to a 51% mark from a well-rested Greensboro squad playing their first game of the weekend.

PC's troubles from three-point land continued to plague the green and gold as they shot just 17.6% from beyond the arc in today's 16-point loss.  Piedmont has now shot less than 18% from three-point land four times in their last six games after posting just one such shooting performance in their previous nine games to start the season.  The last time the team shot above 40% from downtown was in a three-point home loss on New Year's Eve to Emory University, the nation's 10th ranked team in the country at the time.

Piedmont's only lead on the day came when Lauren Hamel scored the first bucket of the game to put the visitors up 2-0 only to see the home team cause early turnovers and convert on the offensive end to go on an 18-4 run from that point forward and take control in their own gym.  PC tried to cut the margin down over the next few minutes getting the lead cut to just four points on Chandler Alverson's three-pointer with 11:40 remaining in the first half.

However, another run by the home team extended the lead once more to double digits as Greensboro scored seven straight to open up an 11-point advantage.  Each time the Lady Lions made a push, the Pride had an answer continuing to stay in front taking a 53-42 lead into the locker room at halftime. 

In the second half, the story remained the same as Greensboro continued to shoot the ball well from the floor scoring the first six points of the second half to push their lead up to 59-42.  However, the Lady Lions started to chip away once more watching Carly Sales' layup with 9;34 left make the margin a manageable eight at 62-54.

Minutes later, the Lady Lions would close to within five as Le'Shaunda Jones picked up a bucket and a foul to put the score at 64-59, just a five point lead for the home team.  Once again, the Pride had an answer using a three-pointer from Shanita Hampton to spark an 11-0 run to take back the momentum leading by 16 with just over five minutes to play. 

That scoreless three-minute stretch proved to the final push that ended Piedmont's chances at a sixth straight win in conference and overall as the Lady Lions fell by the final 82-66 score.  The 16-point loss is Piedmont's largest margin of defeat in their four losses this season besting a previous 12-point loss to Berry College.

Junior Symone Ball led the Lady Lions with her 15 total points on four of eight shooting from the field as she also hit on seven of her nine free throw attempts.  Ball also tied for the team-high in rebounds with her five doing so along with freshman guard Brianna Barrett who pulled down five to go with her five points and two assists.

Joining Ball in double figure scoring was Le'Shaunda Jones who posted 13 points just one day after posting 12 points in a conference win at Methodist University.  Jones connected on five of her eight tries from the field as both Jones and Ball came off the bench to lead the Lady Lions in scoring.

Freshman Carly Sales hit on all three of her field goal tries to combine with a 3-for-4 performance at the charity stripe for her nine points as the next highest scorer.  It was the first time in four games that Sales did not score in double figures as the Pride also kept the freshman off the glass holding her to just three boards after posting 21 rebounds in her last two games.

The loss puts Piedmont to an 11-4 overall record while also putting them at 5-1 in USA South play.  The Lady Lions have now played four of their first six conference games on the road going 3-1 in those contests.

Piedmont will have its next two opponents at home coming next weekend as they stay in USA South play to face North Division leader Ferrum College on Friday evening.  The Panthers, who had been perfect in conference play through four games and was ranked 20th in the latest D3Hoops.com National Poll, also fell for the first time in USA South play earlier today when they dropped a three-point decision in overtime to LaGrange College.  Ferrum and Piedmont entered the day as the last two remaining undefeated teams in USA South play.

The January 24th contest with the Panthers of Ferrum is set to tip off at 5:30 pm in Cave Arena within the Johnny Mize Athletic Center.  Live coverage will be provided courtesy of the Mane Event Broadcasting Network as well as WCON radio.