FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Methodist University women's basketball hosted its annual Play4Kay game on Saturday, February 17, with Meredith College making the trip for a USA South Athletic Conference contest. After a commanding first half by the Monarchs, the Avenging Angels made it interesting following a big third quarter but prevailing was Methodist with an impressive fourth, on its way to a 60-39 win.
 
Methodist finishes the regular season as co-champions, along with Southern Virginia University, after having a 17-1 conference record. This is the Monarchs first regular season title since the 2000-01 season.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Methodist def. Meredith, 60-39
Records: Methodist 20-5 (17-1 USA South), Meredith 8-17 (6-12)
Location: March F. Riddle Center; Fayetteville, North Carolina

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Methodist trio of Rebecca McGaughnea, Aniyah Tate, and Aneesa Irizarry bullied the Meredith defense, in the paint, to jump out to a 14-2 lead. The Avenging Angels got a couple of lay-ups to help themselves get back into the game but the Monarchs quickly matched, and succeed, them with an Alana Jones jumper & a Serenity Webb three-pointer to end the opening quarter, 21-6.
• Meredith began the second quarter with back-to-back baskets but then Methodist seniors Jessica Drake and Tate recorded the next seven points to give them an 18-point advantage. Over the course of the last 3:16 of the period, the two sides added four more points to their respective totals.
• Early in the third, Tate pushed the Monarch lead to 20-point with another bucket until that was trimmed down to 16 following a four-point swing by the Avenging Angels. A pair of free throws by Jillian Peterson, at the 3:48 mark, were the last points recorded by Methodist as Meredith closed out the frame on a 10-0 run.
• An Avenging Angel steal to a bucket continued their current run to start the fourth quarter, which brought them within six (38-32). In need of some life, Irizarry and Tate did just that by scoring the next eight Monarch points. Methodist increased its advantage more with Irizarry and Kiley Hicks chipping in two points each, 50-35. The Monarchs then put the game to rest after going on their own 10-0 run.

MORE TO IT

• Tate had another great performance for Methodist with a game-leading 23 points. She also finished with eight rebounds and three steals, both team-highs.
• Almost half of the Monarchs points, 29, came off of Meredith's 22 turnovers.

UP NEXT
This concluded the regular season for Methodist and now the team turns its attention to the upcoming 2024 USA South Women's Basketball Tournament. Following a series of conference tiebreakers, it is determined that the Monarchs will be the number two seed and will face No. 7 seed Meredith College in the first round. The game is scheduled for Tuesday, February 20, with a 7 p.m. tip-off.