Women's Basketball | 2/27/2014 8:36:00 PM

Box Score FERRUM, Va. – No. 3-seeded Methodist topped No. 2 seed Piedmont, 77-51, late Thursday afternoon in an opening-round game at the USA South Tournament.
 
Holding a slim two-point edge (8-6) just over five minutes into the action, the Monarchs (16-0) scored 10 unanswered points over the span of four-plus minutes to start breaking away from the Lions (17-9). During this 10-0 run, Methodist hit just 5-of-14 field-goal attempts, but did not commit a single turnover and took advantage of a 0-of-5 Piedmont shooting stretch as well as three Lion turnovers to take a 13-point lead (21-8) near the nine-minute mark.
 
Still trailing by 13 points with just under three minutes left in the first period, Piedmont closed out on an 8-2 spurt to narrow its deficit to single digits at intermission (32-25).
 
To begin the second half, the Monarchs rattled off a 13-1 run to assume a 19-point edge (45-26) with 14:12 on the game clock. Four different Methodist players scored during this spurt, including six straight points from Chandler Christensen at one point. Once again, a cold shooting stretch by the Lions (0-6) coupled with five turnovers prevented Piedmont from drawing closer to Methodist. The Monarchs would lead by as many as 29 points with under four minutes remaining in regulation.
 
Overall Methodist shot 44.1 percent from the floor (30-68), including 56.7 percent in the second period alone (17-30). The Lions finished 19-of-61 from the field (.311), including 13.3 percent from three-point range (2-15). The Monarchs claimed a 45-33 rebounding advantage.
 
Jackie Lyles had 14 points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists for Methodist, and Christensen finished with 13 points and five rebounds. Ayanna Pegues totaled 12 points, six rebounds and two steals, and Monique Lofton had 11 points. Alexis Wallace contributed eight points and seven rebounds off the bench.
 
Lauren Hamel scored a game-high 17 points for Piedmont to go along with seven rebounds and three steals. Julianne Bayer and Mary Kate Rushton each added eight points.
 
The Monarchs will face off against top-seeded Ferrum at 7:00 pm on Friday.