STAUNTON, Va.  Methodist University women's basketball looked out of sorts for the first four minutes of its road USA South Athletic Conference contest with Mary Baldwin University on Saturday, November 18. The Monarchs were able to turn it around and went on to defeat the Fighting Squirrels by a score of 81-64.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Methodist def. Mary Baldwin, 81-64
Records: Methodist 2-2 (1-1 USA South), Mary Baldwin 1-4 (0-2)
Location: Physical Activity Center; Staunton, Virginia

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Mary Baldwin came out strong and out played Methodist early on, which led to the Fighting Squirrels jumping out to an 11-0 advantage. With a little under six minutes left in the first quarter, the Monarch duo of Kiley Hicks and Jessica Drake went to work and outscored Mary Baldwin 14-3 to tie the game up, 14-14. The teams traded buckets for the remainder of the first and were deadlock at 20-20 by the time the second quarter began.
• A much better start in the second quarter than the first for Methodist as the team began the fresh quarter on a 9-2 run. A three-pointer by Serenity Webb gave the Monarchs their first double digit lead, 34-24, of the game. During the last three and half minutes before the halftime break, the Fighting Squirrels held the scoring edge, 10-6, over Methodist to only find themselves down by six, 40-34.
• A'Cetta Farrait made it a three-point game, 40-37, as she knocked down a triple for Mary Baldwin on their opening possession of the third quarter. Back-to-back treys by Drake then sparked a 14-0 Monarch run to create a sizeable lead. Methodist maintained a 20-plus point advantage to the end of the third after Drake nailed two more consecutive three balls.
• Aniyah Tate (four points) and Hicks (two) matched the two Fighting Squirrels three-pointers to give each side six points to begin the fourth quarter. A few minutes later a three by Alyssa Shazer gave Methodist its largest lead of the game, 74-50. To end the game, Mary Baldwin went on a 14-7 run with Aryauna Brent scoring nine of those points.

MORE TO IT

• Drake had a team-high 19 points after shooting 7-of-8 from the field, including 5-of-6 from behind the arc.
• For the first time this season, Hicks (14 points & 11 rebounds) and Tate (15 pts & 10 rebs) each had a double-double. Twice last year these two forwards also had double-doubles in the same game.
• In 28 minutes of action, Melissa D'Oleo contributed nine points, seven rebounds (career-high), seven assists, and five steals.
• The Monarchs controlled the battle of the boards as they out rebounded the Fighting Squirrels 52 to 36.

UP NEXT
Methodist makes it home debut on Tuesday, November 21, for its only contest inside the March F. Riddle Center before the new calendar year. The Monarchs welcome Pfeiffer University in a USA South bout with the opening tip scheduled for 7 PM.