Lady Barons gain split at classic with big victory

MOUNT VERNON - The Brewton-Parker College women's basketball team rebounded from a close defeat Friday to the NAIA's 15th-ranked team to score its second win over a team this season that the Lady Barons will face again this week.

Brewton-Parker took a 68-63 loss Friday to No. 15 ranked Cumberland College (Ky.) before defeating Morris College (S.C.) 84-61 Saturday in action at the ALLTEL Classic at North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega.

The Lady Barons (6-2), who played host to Voorhees College (S.C.) Tuesday night, visit Morris in Sumter, S.C., on Thursday for a 6 p.m. game.

Saturday's game was a rematch from the Lady Barons 97-53, season-opening win over Morris in the Brewton-Parker Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 9.

Senior forward Tameka Oliver, who had 27 points in that first victory, nearly matched that total by scoring a game-high 26 Saturday against the Lady Hornets.

Oliver, who was 9-for-18 from the floor and 6-for-6 at the free-throw line, also had a team-high seven rebounds and was the only Lady Baron to make the all-classic team.

Junior guard Melody Walker followed Oliver by scoring 16 points that included 4 of 7 hits from 3-point range.

Kimberly Riley paced Morris with 22 points, and Jamie Hamilton added 13 points to go with a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double.

The Lady Barons jumped out to a 43-29 halftime lead and committed just 10 turnovers for the game while forcing 19 for Morris.

Senior guard Lucinda Lessington made three steals in limited time because of a back injury from the Cumberland game, and freshman guard Ashley Little sat out the game with a sprained ankle suffered Friday.

"We got a lot of younger players some minutes," Brewton-Parker coach Tommy Dalley said. "We played OK. I think the fact that we beat them by 44 the last time had a lot to do with our preparation."

Turnovers proved problematic in Friday's game, in which Brewton-Parker committed 21 miscues with Cumberland making 10 steals.

The Lady Barons also were an uncharacteristic 13-for-23 at the charity stripe, and Dalley said the taller Patriots proved a little overwhelming early.

The Lady Barons, who received votes in the NAIA preseason rankings, trailed 35-24 at halftime after Cumberland had 14 offensive rebounds in the half.

After the Patriots built a 15-point lead with just more than 10 minutes remaining, Brewton-Parker rallied and had a chance to pull within one before Cumberland closed the door at the free-throw stripe.

"We played well in the second half and learned that we have to put two good halves together," Dalley said. "We gave ourselves a chance to win, and that's what was important. We just ran out of time."

Senior guard Takara Solomon led the Lady Barons with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Oliver added 13 points and freshman guard Ashley Little had 10 points. Lessington made 10 assists.

Cumberland had three double-figure scorers, led by Lacey Tackas with a game-high 18 points.

North Georgia, which was No. 14 in the NAIA preseason poll, edged Cumberland 83-78 on Saturday in the battle of top-15 teams. The Lady Saints routed Morris 106-36 Friday night.

After Thursday's trip to Morris, the Lady Barons will be off until their opening game of the Brewton-Parker Christmas Shoot-Out on Dec. 13, when they will play Edward Waters College (Fla.) at 6 p.m. at the Student Activities Center.

Brewton-Parker plays Flagler College (Fla.) at 4 p.m. on Dec. 14 to conclude the Christmas Shoot-Out and its first-semester schedule.

Georgia Southwestern State University will trade opponents with Brewton-Parker, playing Flagler the first day and Edward Waters the second.

After the Christmas break, the Lady Barons will resume action Jan. 4 at Valdosta State University.

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