BREVARD, N.C. – The Brevard College women's basketball team (2-1) dropped its home opener 88-74 to Guilford College (3-0) on Saturday evening at the Boshamer Gymnasium. The Quakers led the entire contest en route to handing BC its first defeat of 2024-25.
Junior Jada Petty-Wilkins led the Tornados with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including a three made 3-pointers. Petty-Wilkins, the reigning USA South Player of the Week, also went 4-for-4 from the free throw line for her second 21-point performance in three games played this season.
Senior Josie Hester hit a game-high four 3-pointers on her way to a 17-point performance to go along with a game-high seven rebounds. Sophomore Christena Rhone came off the bench to also score 17 points. Freshman Annalee Morris recorded her first points and rebounds as a collegiate player, scoring five points and pulling down two boards to go along with a blocked shot.
With four assists on Saturday, senior point guard Lexi Shepard set the NCAA-era career assist record with 257, surpassing former record holder Asheley Watkins (254, 2009-13).
Guilford had four players scored in double-figures led by 19 points from Zoe Bayer who also registered five steals defensively.
The Quakers scored the game's first 10 points, then ran out to a 15-2 lead with 6:34 left in the first quarter. Guilford finished the first period with a 27-12 advantage, putting the Tornados in a significant hole.
In the second quarter, Brevard reeled off a 13-4 run, capped off by a Hester fast-break layup to cut the deficit to single digits. A field goal by Morris cut the Guilford lead to six points later in the quarter. However, the Quakers pulled back away in the final minutes to head to halftime with a 46-30 advantage.
Brevard outscored Guilford in the third quarter 23-21 as Rhone led the charge with 13 points and five rebounds in the period. The Quakers pulled away again early in the fourth, leading by as many as 19 points. A 15-5 run later in the fourth cut the lead to seven points with just three minutes to play. Guilford responded with a 7-0 run to ice the victory.
Guilford out-shot BC from the field, 48% to 42%. Brevard though made twice as many 3-pointers than the visitors with a 10-of-27 performance from beyond the arc. The turnover battle was lopsided in favor of Guilford with 25 turnovers for BC compared to 16 for the Quakers.
The Tornados return to action with their USA South Conference opener vs. William Peace on Saturday, November 23 at the Boshamer Gymnasium.
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