FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- For the second consecutive game Methodist's Kodi Centry and Kayla Goldsmith recorded double-doubles, but the MU women's basketball team fell to N.C. Wesleyan 71-56 on Wednesday at the Riddle Center.
 
The win improved N.C. Wesleyan to 10-11 on the season and 7-5 in conference play, while MU now stands at 3-18 overall and 3-9 in league play.
 
Centry scored a team-high 12 points and added 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Goldsmith had 10 points, 10 rebounds and a pair of blocks.
 
The first quarter alone featured five lead changes and a pair of ties as MU held a 14-13 lead after 10 minutes of play. The Monarchs knocked down 6 of 7 foul shots in the first quarter as well as a pair of triples.
 
Kadie Snipes drilled a trey to open the second quarter and extend MU's lead to 17-13 before NCWC seized control with a 17-6 lead for a 30-23 lead on Nadiya Holley's layup with 2:47 left in the first half. Kaven Joyner responded with a bucket for the Monarchs to make it 30-25. The Battling Bishops would ultimately take a 36-27 lead into the break.
 
Methodist stayed closed and trailed by single digits (46-37) at the 4:06 mark of the third period, but NCWC closed the period on an 11-2 burst to take a 57-39 edge into the final quarter. The Bishops used a full-court press to force eight MU turnovers in the final 3:32 of the quarter as they began to pull away.
 
Snipes finished with nine points and four rebounds, and Amber Scott chipped in four points and six rebounds for MU.
 
Javana Jones and Kayla Johnson each scored 13 points off the bench for NCWC. Vontasia Olds added 12 points and Keorra Taylor scored 10. Caila Spruill added eight points, six rebounds, six steals and three assists.
 
As a team, MU shot 37.5 percent (18-48) to NCWC's 36.3 percent (29-80). The Bishops held a 42-38 edge on the glass, including a 23-9 advantage in offensive rebounds.
 
The Monarchs play at Ferrum on Saturday at 2 pm.