FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  It was a nail biter on Saturday afternoon between the Methodist women's basketball team and Southern Virginia University, in USA South Athletic Conference play. A few key free throws in the last 30 seconds help the Monarchs prevail in a narrow 54-53 home victory over the Knights in the March F. Riddle Center.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Methodist def. Southern Virginia, 54-53
Records: Methodist 2-1 (1-0 USA South), Southern Virginia 1-2 (0-1)
Location: March F. Riddle Center; Fayetteville, North Carolina

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Neither side shot the ball that well in the first quarter of the contest, as with under four minutes left Methodist held a 6-2 lead. Courtney McKrola of SVU would make it a one-point game, after knocking down a trio of free throws, with less than three minutes left. Kiley Hicks pushed it back to a four-point advantage, 9-5, after hitting a bucket and a free throw, but Addison Newman got it down to a two-point difference heading into the second period with a pair from the charity stripe.
• Newman gave the Knights their first lead of the game, 15-13, at the 6:34 mark while in the midst of a 6-0 run. Hicks scored the next four Monarch points to put them back in front before SVU tied the game at 17-17. Methodist went in to the halftime break up 22-19, with Jordan Langston tallying three of the final five points.
• Two quick layups by McKrola and Emma Camden saw the Knights take over the lead but a big three ball by Jillian Peterson would give the Monarchs the advantage again, 25-23. A couple more lead changes occurred before the third stanza ended but it was Methodist that took a 37-33 lead, after a basket by Aneesa Irizarry, heading into the last frame.
• Rebecca McGaughnea gave the Monarchs their largest lead of the game following her made layup, 40-33. SVU then went on a 9-0 run with McKrola scoring the first six followed by Camden with a three-pointer to put them up 42-40. A three by Jessica Drake saw Methodist go up by one but the Knights made back-to-back baskets to go back up 48-45.
• With 1:13 left on the clock, Irizarry and Emmenia Lynch registered the next six points for the Monarchs to give them lead once again, 51-48. A couple of missed shots by SVU forced them to foul and send Aniyah Tate and Serenity Webb to the line, where each made one free throw to make it 53-48. After some free throws by both sides, the Knights were down 54-50 but McKrola hit a quick three to make it a one-point game with five seconds left. Methodist successfully got the ensuing inbound pass in to run out the clock on SVU.

MORE TO IT

• McKrola led all scorers with 19 points with teammate Newman after her with 14. Hicks scored the most points for the Monarchs with 11 followed by Peterson (9), who went a perfect 4-4 from the field.
• Turnovers were costly for the Knights as Methodist forced 30 takeaways and registered 25 points, which was almost half of the Monarchs total points.
• Outside of the first quarter, when the team shot 14% from the field, SVU still managed to finish with a shooting percentage over 37%. The Knights 5 of 6 free throws from the first period kept them in the game.

UP NEXT

• Methodist is back in USA South action on Tuesday when the Monarchs travel to Salem College. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 PM.
• Southern Virginia is off for the next 10 days before retaking the court on November 29 at home against Salem in USA South play.