Women's Basketball | 1/3/2015 6:09:00 PM

Box Score LAGRANGE, Ga. -- The Methodist women's basketball team dropped a 67-55 decision at LaGrange College on Saturday afternoon at Mariotti Gymnasium.
 
With the win LaGrange improves to 5-4 on the season and 1-0 in the league, while MU falls to 0-7 and 0-1 in conference play.
 
The Monarchs held an early 7-6 lead after Maria Jones converted a layup at the 17:17 mark, but LC answered with a 15-5 run to take a 21-12 lead on Danielle Newton's free throws with 11:41 to play. MU trailed by eight points (29-21) at the 8:48 mark before the Panthers surged into halftime on a 12-2 spurt to take a 41-23 lead at the break.
 
The Monarchs steadily worked away at their deficit in the second half, pulling to within nine points (55-46) when Sydney Bryan split a pair of free throws with 6:45 left in the game, but MU would pull no closer the rest of the contest as LC held on for the win.
 
As a team, MU shot 41.2 percent from the field (21-51), but hit just 3-of-13 three-point attempts (.2310 and 10-of-17 free throws (.588). LaGrange shot 41.3 percent (19-46) from the floor and 17.6 percent (3-17) from deep, but got to the free-throw line 34 times, making good on 26 attempts (.765). LaGrange also out rebounded MU, 39-27.
 
Jones led MU with 10 points, and Ayanna Pegues scored nine. Jalisia Campbell, Alexis Wallace and Bryan all scored eight points, and Wallace had a team-high eight rebounds. Jasmine Canady chipped in four assists and a pair of steals.
 
For LaGrange, Kelsey Mitchell led three players in double figures with 13 points. Kymberli Payno had 12 points, and Morgan McDonald added 11. Payno completed a double-double with 11 rebounds, and McDonald had six assists.
 
The Monarchs next play at Huntingdon on Sunday afternoon.