Tigers Outlast Late Rally at Lindsey Wilson

COLUMBIA, Ky. - Looking to bounce back from Wednesday's overtime defeat, the Georgetown College women's basketball team headed to South Central Kentucky on Saturday, and held off a late charge from Lindsey Wilson College to claim its 10th Mid-South Conference win of the season, 77-74.

The game took on a nip and tuck feel from the opening tip-off. Neither team led by a margin of more than a single possession in the first 10 minutes of play. Grace White opened the scoring for Georgetown (17-8, 10-7 MSC), There were five ties and four lead changes in the period with Georgetown leading 21-20 after the opening frame.

Lindsey Wilson (12-10, 7-7 MSC) scored the first four points of the second quarter to take the lead, 24-21, but with 8:22 remaining in the half, AJ Stevenson connected from long range to knot the score at 24. The margin remained close, and it was not until the clock read 1:37 to play that another bucket from White gave the Tigers the first lead of the contest of more than three points. The bucket from White extended the Georgetown lead to 37-33, and at the half, the Tigers led 39-37.

The Tigers began to break the game open in the third quarter. White scored with 5:37 to play to give Georgetown a 49-44 lead, and less than 30 seconds later, she buried a 3-point bullet to push the Tigers' lead to eight. The lead eventually reached 12 in the quarter on a made triple from Jazzmyn Elston with 1:23 to play. Georgetown led 59-48 headed to the fourth quarter.

Georgetown was unable to extend the lead significantly in the early part of the fourth frame, and that left the door cracked just enough for Lindsey Wilson to mount one final comeback. Trailing by 12 with just more than five minutes to play, the Blue Raiders began to rally. LWC cut the lead to eight with 3:42 to go in the game, and 59 seconds later, a 3-pointer trimmed the margin to five at 71-66. LWC drew even at 73 with 42 seconds to play, and while the free throw line was an adventure for the Tigers in the final seconds, Georgetown managed to keep the Blue Raiders from taking the lead and held on for the three-point win.

White led all scorers with 28 points, and was a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe in the game. Elston chipped in 18, and Madison Darnell added a double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds. Callie Jackson also scored in double figures with 10, and White dished up five helpers.

Georgetown made 25-of-53 (47.2%) shots in the game, including 5 of 12 (41.7%) from distance. The Tigers also made 22-of-28 (78.6%) from the foul line in the game.

Georgetown will return home on Monday, Feb. 7 for a tough test at Davis-Reid Alumni Gymnasium, when the Tigers welcome NAIA No. 4 Campbellsville University (20-3, 12-3 MSC). Tip is 6 p.m. Eastern.