BUENA VISTA, Va. Methodist University women's basketball was on the road Friday night, November 17, against host Southern Virginia University. A battle of stingy defenses saw the Knights outlast the Monarchs on their way to a 62-58 victory, in the USA South Athletic Conference opener for both squads.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Southern Virginia def. Methodist, 62-58
Records: Methodist 1-2 (0-1 USA South), Southern Virginia 2-0 (1-0)
Location: Knight Arena; Buena Vista, Virginia

HOW IT HAPPENED

• A low scoring first quarter only saw 12 points registered in total, 8-4 in favor of Southern Virginia. Kiley Hicks and Aniyah Tate each had two points. The Monarchs were able to keep the score close as they forced 11 Knight turnovers throughout the first quarter, with Jessica Drake (three), Serenity Webb (two), and Tate (two) all recording multiple steals.
• A 6-0 run by Southern Virginia to start the second quarter pushed its lead to double digits, 14-4. Methodist baskets by Aneesa Irizarry and Rebecca McGaughnea made it a two possession contest, 16-10, but then the Knight tallied the next seven consecutive points. In the final two minutes of the first half, Hicks scored six of the last eight Monarchs points to get her team back within seven, 27-20. Just as time was winding down Abigail Snyder of Southern Virginia nailed a buzzer beating three to give the Knights a ten point lead.
• Following an opening three-pointer by Maria Savvun of Southern Virginia in the third quarter, buckets by Drake and Melissa D'Oleo brought the Methodist deficit back down to single digits, 33-24. During the next five minutes, the Knights outscored the Monarchs 12-6 to make it a 15-point difference on the scoreboard, 45-30. Tate became a one women scoring machine for Methodist in the final 3:36 of the third, as she registered nine of the next 13 Monarch points.
• Methodist found itself down by three, 53-50, in the fourth quarter after going on a 7-0 run with a little over five and half minutes left. The teams exchanged points over the course of the next four minutes. Some key free throws by Southern Virginia down the stretch helped secured its win over the Monarchs.

MORE TO IT

• After trading in her volleyball shoes for some basketball sneakers, Tate recorded a game-high 19 points, shooting 6-of-12 from the field, for Methodist. Also scoring in double figures was Hicks (15).
• Drake had an all-around performance with six points, five rebounds, three assists, and a career-high seven steals.
• The Monarchs took advantage of the Knight's 29 turnovers by scoring 21 points off them.

UP NEXT
Methodist will stay in the state of Virginia for the night before traveling to Staunton to face Mary Baldwin University on Saturday, November 18. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 PM.