FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Despite Methodist holding Mary Baldwin 17 points below its season average, the Monarchs were defeated by the visiting Fighting Squirrels, 52-41, Saturday afternoon in USA South Athletic Conference women's basketball action.

The game was a defensive skirmish as both teams shot under 30 percent from the field and combined for 50 turnovers. However, Mary Baldwin was more successful in taking advantage of all the turnovers. The Fighting Squirrels had 22 points off of Monarch miscues compared to just nine Methodist points off of 21 Mary Baldwin turnovers.

The Fighting Squirrels were also better in transition, scoring 14 fast break points to only three points for the Monarchs.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Mary Baldwin def. Methodist, 52-41
Records: Methodist 3-11 (1-5 USA South), Mary Baldwin 12-6 (6-3)
Location: Riddle Center; Fayetteville, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Methodist played its best basketball after Mary Baldwin jumped out to a 22-point lead in the third quarter. The Monarchs went on a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to 12 at 38-26. Interestingly enough, it was the reserves on the court for most of the 10-0 stretch. Chandler True, Emily Ricks, Katlin Kendrick, and Taylor Hatchett were the Monarchs on the court for eight of the 10 points Methodist scored in the quarter.
• In the fourth quarter, Kaneya Chambers made a tip-in to make it 44-34, a ten-point game for the first time since the beginning of the second quarter.
• The Fighting Squirrels provided a dagger less than a minute later. Aayana Nedd forced a Methodist turnover and found Brooke Anders in the corner with a good look at the basket. Anders missed the three, got her own offensive rebound, and promptly found Hannah Varner at the wing. Varner made the shot behind the arc and a potential eight-point deficit for Methodist blossomed to a 13-point lead for Mary Baldwin.
• The Monarchs went on a mini 5-0 run, punctuated by Kaitlin Kendrick's three, to end the game with a score of 52-41.
• It was a struggle in the first half for Methodist as the Fighting Squirrels' length and range forced 18 Monarch turnovers en route to a 34-16 halftime lead. Mary Baldwin went on a 11-0 run late in the second quarter to turn an eight-point game into a 19-point game at 31-12.
• Following the halftime break, Methodist tightened up on defense, holding the Fighting Squirrels' to 5-of-28, under 18 percent shooting for the second half. The Monarchs also tightened up on the miscues, committing only 11 second-half turnovers, less than Mary Baldwin's 13.

STAT FACTS

• Kodi Centry was the only Methodist player to score in double digits. She had 10 points. A bucket away from double digits was both Kayla Goldsmith and Chandler True. Goldsmith and True each had eight points and six rebounds. True also had two steals and knocked down two trey balls.
• The Monarchs got solid offense from their bench with 28 bench points, thanks in large part to Centry and True.
• 52 points allowed by Methodist was the second-lowest total all season. Methodist previously allowed 51 in a win against Meredith.
• The 29 turnovers committed by the Monarchs tied a season-high.

FIGHTING SQUIRRELS' PEAK

• Only two Mary Baldwin players scored in double digits. Nicole Mallon had 12 points and six boards and Brooke Anders had a balanced game of 10 points, six boards, five assists, and three steals.
• Varner and Rachel Hepler knocked down two threes off the bench.
• 52 points are the fewest the Fighting Squirrels have scored while still winning a game this season.

UP NEXT

• The Monarchs are back on the court of the Riddle Center tomorrow at 2 p.m. to play Greensboro College.
• Mary Baldwin plays tomorrow at 2 p.m. on the road against N.C. Wesleyan.