FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Tyzarea Alexander's 19 points and eight rebounds were not enough to guide Methodist women's basketball to a victory over visiting Randolph College in the Monarchs' season opener. The WildCats narrowly escaped the Riddle Center with a 47-44 non-conference win Wednesday evening.

It was a tight, back-and-forth affair and neither team was ever able to pull away in a game that featured 13 lead changes and nine tie scores. In the second half, Randolph managed to outscore Methodist 29-22, including shooting 7-of-12 (58 percent) in the final quarter to steal the win.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Randolph def. Methodist, 47-44
Records: Methodist 0-1, Randolph 1-1
Location: Riddle Center; Fayetteville, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Randolph's largest lead of the game was seven points (43-36) midway through the fourth quarter. Methodist responded with a clutch 7-0 run to tie the game with two minutes remaining. A Destiny Hardin layup cut the deficit to five, Alexander earned a steal and got her own fastbreak bucket to cut it to three, and she returned two minutes later with another basket to tie the game.
• With 15 seconds remaining and the shot clock winding out, Kalyn Banks stepped out and made a long-two to give the WildCats a 47-44 lead. Prior to that, Alexander made one-of-two free throws to make it a one-point game.
• Two made free throws from Jazanae Billings gave the Monarchs their final lead with the score at 35-33 early in the final frame. Randolph answered with a 10-1 run en route to the seven-point advantage.
• An Amber Garrett three gave the WildCats a six-point lead (33-27) late in the third quarter but Methodist countered with a 6-0 run to end the frame. Billings blew past her defender for an uncontested layup to tie the game with less than a second on the clock.
• The Monarchs' best scoring run (9-0) came late in the second quarter. Billings connected on a three-pointer to tie the game at 16-16 and Zytipha Joines provided a jolt with two consecutive buckets for a 22-16 lead, the largest of the game for Methodist.
• Write the first seven minutes of the game off as early-season jitters as it took nearly seven minutes for the game's first made field goal. Garrett made a shot from behind the arc and Kadie Snipes said "hello" with a trey-ball of her own on the very next possession.

STAT FACTS

• The WildCats held a 49-34 edge in rebounding, including 21 offensive boards, which afforded them nine more shots than Methodist. That separation makes all the difference in a close game like this one although Randolph was only able to convert those 21 offensive rebounds into nine second chance points.
• Alexander had 19 points on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting night from the field. She also had two steals and recorded five offensive boards.
• Billings was the other Monarch in double-digits with 10 points, plus two steals.
• Banks was the only Wildcat with double-digits, scoring 10 points with eight rebounds.
• Despite the Monarchs late-game struggles at the charity stripe (one-of-six in the final three minutes), Randolph did not fair much better at the line either. The WildCats went 4-of-14 (29 percent) overall at the stripe while Methodist went 8-of-17 (47 percent).

UP NEXT
The Monarchs are in Greenville, S.C., November 16 for a non-conference matchup against Bob Jones University. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.