Women's Basketball | 12/14/2008 8:06:16 PM

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Methodist women's basketball team gave Colorado College a battle, but the Tigers came out on top with the 63-55 win.

Methodist sophomore Adriana Wilson scored the first basket of the game and converted the free throw for the 3-0 lead, but Colorado went on a 12-2 run to take a seven point advantage.  The Tigers were ahead 29-19 with a little more than five minutes to play in the first half when the Monarchs fought back.  Junior Michaela Myers and senior Dezzire Gilliard each hit layups to move within six.  After a Methodist foul, Colorado's Jenny Knapp hit her first free throw but Methodist sophomore Dawn Sanderson grabbed the rebound on the second free throw and scored a layup on the other end.  The Tigers would go up by seven again, but Myers and senior Zan Messer hit back-to-back 3-pointers to move within one point.  Sanderson grabbed another defensive rebound and Myers hit another 3-pointer to give the Monarchs the lead with 27 seconds until halftime.  Methodist was called for a foul at the buzzer as the Tigers scored the game-tying basket, but the free throw bottomed out for a halftime score of 34-34.

The Monarchs scored the first basket of the second half, but Colorado regained the lead for the remainder of the second half.  A 3-pointer from Myers cut the lead to two with less than 10 minutes to go and the Monarchs just trailed 52-51 at the 5:33 mark, but that was as close as they would get.  The Tigers came back to extend their lead to as many as nine before finishing with the 63-55 win.

Myers led the Monarchs with 14 points and six rebounds while Gilliard had 13 points and Sanderson added 10 points.

Myers and Gilliard were named to the All-Classic Team for their efforts.

The Monarchs will take a break for the holidays before traveling to Mary Baldwin Jan. 3.

Box Score