FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Methodist University women's basketball finished off its three-game homestand with a crucial USA South Athletic Conference game against Southern Virginia University on Saturday afternoon, February 3. In front of their home crowd, the Monarchs handed the Knights their first conference loss of the season after beating them 57-38.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Methodist def. Southern Virginia, 57-38
Records: Methodist 16-5 (13-1 USA South), Southern Virginia 16-5 (14-1)
Location: March F. Riddle Center; Fayetteville, North Carolina

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Just four seconds into the contest Southern Virginia got on the scoreboard first as the Knights won the opening tip and found a driving player for the quick layup. On the ensuing Methodist possession, Aniyah Tate recorded the first two points for her team to tie the score at the 9:25 mark. During the next six and half minutes, the Monarchs went on a 10-0 run while the Knights turned the ball over six times.
• Buckets by Tate and Jillian Peterson gave Methodist a 14-point advantage, 21-7, midway through the second quarter. Southern Virginia started to find its grove late in the second and that translated into a 13-2 run to close out the period. This trimmed the Monarchs lead down to just three points, 23-20, heading into halftime.
• A couple of baskets by the Knights brought the deficit down to one, 25-24, but a pair of steals by Methodist led to a quick five-point swing and a six-point advantage. Following two Southern Virginia free throws, the Monarchs went on an 8-0 run to further increase the difference on the scoreboard to 12 points.
• Including a made free throw at the end of third frame, the Knights scored their next four points from the charity stripe to bring them within seven of the lead. Kiley Hicks and Peterson added two more points each to make it a double-digit advantage, 46-34, again for Methodist. In the final five minutes, the Monarchs generated six more Southern Virginia turnovers and outscored the Knights 11-2.

MORE TO IT

• Methodist registered a season-high 18 steals versus Southern Virginia, which led to 30 Monarch points. Causing the most takeaways from Methodist was Melissa D'Oleo with a career-high six thefts.
• Leading the Monarchs in both points and rebounds was Tate with 17 and 12. Other Methodist players with impressive stat lines were Aneesa Irizarry (9 pts., 4 rebs., 4 assts., 2 stls., & 2 blks.) and Peterson (12 pts on 4-of-5 shooting while going 4-of-5 from the stripe).

UP NEXT
Methodist makes a visit to North Carolina Wesleyan University on Tuesday, February 6, for another important USA South bout. Tip-Off is scheduled for 7 PM.