BREVARD, N.C.  With incoming weather moving the game up to Friday, the Methodist University women's basketball team traveled out to Brevard College a USA South Athletic Conference bout. This pivotal matchup saw both teams sitting in a tie for second place among the league standings coming into the contest, and with a 74­-59 victory today, the Tornados not only avenge their previous loss to the Monarchs but also claim sole possession of second place.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Brevard def. Methodist, 74–59
Records: Methodist 8–6 (4–2 USA South), Brevard 10–3 (5–1)
Location: Boshamer Gym; Brevard, North Carolina

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Following a Methodist basket by Jillian Peterson to put her team in front 4-2, Josie Hester knocked down a pair of three-pointers to give Brevard an 8-4 lead. Another triple by Hester would make it a two possession ballgame again until Monarch freshman Kayleen Grullon secured an offensive rebound and scored her first points of the day to keep Methodist within three, 11-8. During the last minute, forty of the opening quarter, the Tornados' offense continued to shoot from behind the arc as they made two more threes during an 8-0 run to push their advantage to double digits, 19-8.
• Brevard's excellent shooting from three-point territory followed the team into the early stages of the second period, with Christena Rhone and Hester each making a three, and put the Tornados up by 17 points, 27-10. A couple of Monarch steals by Arriana White, which led to layups by Melissa D'Oleo and Peterson, temporally stopped Brevard's scoring run but then two quick baskets by Jada Petty-Wilkins and Lexi Shepard pushed the score to 31-14. As halftime was approaching, Korin Gladden scored four of the next eight Methodist points to cut the deficit down to single digits, but then, the Tornados outscored the Monarchs 4-2 in the last minute to keep it a ten-point game, 37-27, at intermission.
• Similar to how the second quarter began, a three by Hester sparked an 11-2 Brevard run and soon the Tornados were up by 19-points, 48-29, in the third. The next six Methodist points would involve Gladden in some form as she scored two buckets and assisted on White's layup to help bring the Monarchs back to within 13-points, 48-35. During the last three minutes of the frame, each side scored an additional eight points to make the score 56-43 heading into the fourth.
• Methodist started the final period on an 8-4 run, which includes a pair of triples by Alyssa Shazer, to bring the deficit back down to single digits, 60-51, once again, and force Brevard to call a timeout. After the timeout, the Tornados offense focused on getting the ball to Hester again, as she recorded two more threes during a 10-0 run for Brevard. That turned out to be the final nail in the coffin for the Monarchs as they were unable to string together one last run.  

MORE TO IT

• The Tornados three-point shooting propelled them to this win as they made 11 triple on 24 attempts (45.8%). Methodist also took 20+ shots from behind the arc but were only able to get four (18.2%) to fall through.
• With 35 points, Hester (11-of-22 from the field; 9-for-16 from three) led all scorers in this contest. Brevard also had two other players reach double figures, with Petty-Wilkins and Naliyah Boyce each registering ten points. For the first time this season, Gladden was the highest scoring Monarch with 12 points, career-high, and right behind her was Shazer with 11.
• Methodist did win the turnover battle, with the Monarchs forcing the Tornados to turn the ball over 25 times. This led Methodist to scoring 27 points off Brevard's miscues.

UP NEXT
Methodist stays on the road for one more contest as the Monarchs head to bitter conference rival North Carolina Wesleyan University on Wednesday, January 15. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM.