Box Score LaGrange, GA - The Piedmont College women's basketball team came close in a back-and-forth final eight minutes, but saw the Panthers of LaGrange College pull away late to take an 80-77 decision at home.  LC shot better than 53% from the floor in the victory as Piedmont falls to 8-5 in league action holding just a slim one game lead now over LaGrange for third in the South Division of the USA South with only the top three teams in the division moving on to postseason play. 

LaGrange opened up the afternoon on an 8-0 run as Piedmont's only points in the first eight minutes of the game came on a Chandler Alverson three with three minutes gone in the first half.  Despite the early offensive struggles, PC found itself down 20-19 with just over seven minutes remaining until another Alverson three gave the visitors their first lead of the day at 22-20.

With a four point deficit hanging in front of the Lady Lions and under 30 seconds to go in the first, senior Lauren Hamel's jumper with time winding down cut the Panther lead to just two, 33-31 at halftime.  Piedmont took the lead to start the second half as Taylor Swoszowski drained a three 12 seconds in, but that only started out an exciting second half in front of the Panther faithful.

The final eight minutes would exemplify just how close this one was for the Lady Lions on the road as neither team built more than a two-possession lead during that stretch as each would have chances to win it late. 

Down by just one point with five minutes to go, it was the freshman Brianna Barrett who would step up to knock down another three-pointer, her second of the afternoon, to put Piedmont up 66-64 in a back-and-forth contest.  Two straight buckets from the home team switched the lead once more as LaGrange scored four straight to take the lead back 68-66. 

With just under two minutes remaining, Piedmont found itself down 72-71 until a long Chandler Alverson two-pointer put the visitors back up 73-72 with the fans now rising to their feet.  Two Panther free throws continued the back and forth with LaGrange taking the lead 74-73. 

After the Lady Lions were unable to connect on their next possession, the Panthers again would get to the line to extend their lead to three points now with under a minute to play.  Piedmont's next chance down would see a Chandler Alverson three rattle in-and-out as LaGrange corralled the rebound and held a 76-73 lead with only 30 seconds remaining. 

Despite several late fouls and technicals that put several players at the line down the stretch, Piedmont's Lauren Hamel would lay in the final points of the game to cut the final to 80-77 as the Lady Lions fell on the road by three.

Piedmont was led in scoring by Chandler Alverson who had 17 points as one of three Lady Lions to score in double figures, shooting seven of 15 including a 33% mark from beyond the three-point arc.  Alverson also added three assists and two boards to her totals for the day.

With a team-high four rebounds, senior Lauren Hamel poured in 14 points while youngster Mary Kate Rushton scored 15 to reach double figures in the scoring column for the fourth time in her last five games.  Rushton and Hamel were each four for nine from the floor and a perfect six of six from the charity stripe as well. 

The team's lead in assists was freshman Brianna Barrett again as she collected a new career-high with her half dozen helpers in the game after twice totaling five earlier in the season.  Barrett also had nine points on three of five shooting with two of her made field goals coming from downtown.

The loss drops Piedmont to 8-5 in USA South play as now the Lady Lions hold just a one-game lead over the Panthers for that all-important third place standing in the South Division of the league.  Only three teams from the South Division receive an invitation to the USA South postseason. 

Now 14-8 overall, Piedmont won't have long to dwell on the Saturday loss as they must turn around to face Huntingdon College tomorrow afternoon in their second straight road game.  Tip off in Montgomery, Alabama is set for 1:00 pm.