BREVARD, N.C. - The Brevard College women's basketball team (11-3, 6-1 USA South) held tough with a four-point USA South Conference victory over Pfeiffer (5-7, 3-4 USAS), 60-56 on Wednesday evening at the Boshamer Gymnasoim.
The narrow triumph marked BC's sixth conference win of the season and its third in a row. The victory draws Brevard and Pfeiffer even at nine wins apiece in 18 all-time meetings in the NCAA era, with all nine of BC's victories coming at The Bosh with a 9-1 home record vs. the Falcons. Additionally, 15 of the 18 meetings between the two sides have been decided by 10 points or less.
Fifth-year senior forward Makenna Parkins paced BC with her first double-double of the 2024-25 season - the 14th of her career - with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Five of her 11 boards came on the offensive glass, as Parkins canned five field goals and four free throws and also dished out three assists to lead all Tornados.
Jada Petty-Wilkins reached double figures in scoring for the 11th time this season and seventh time in the last nine games, totaling 11 points with two made 3-pointers, six rebounds, and three steals. Naliyah Boyce reached double digits off the bench, scoring 10 points with seven rebounds. Reigning USA South Player of the Week Josie Hester scored eight points and grabbed seven boards, while Lexi Shepard matched her career high with nine rebounds.
Alexis Bynum and Ava Hairston each scored 11 points for the Falcons, while Peyton McPeters added 10 points and six rebounds. Bynum totaled a game-high six assists and five steals, as Pfeiffer's defense forced 22 Tornado turnovers and held BC to a season-low three made 3's.
Despite the struggles offensively, BC held a 48-36 rebounding margin, and the Tornados snatched 18 offensive boards. BC had 38 points in the paint, and totaled 19 second-chance buckets. BC shot 39% from the field to Pfeiffer's 31% mark, while the Falcons nailed six 3-pointers. Pfeiffer recorded 16 assists on 20 made baskets, while BC's eight helpers were a season low.
BC jumped out to a 13-3 lead midway through the first period, but Pfeiffer battled back as Brevard held a narrow three-point edge, 15-12, after one quarter of action.
Pfeiffer took its first lead of the game, 18-16, at the 7:48 mark in the second quarter off a bucket by McPeters, but Brevard quickly answered back with an 8-0 scoring run called by a Petty-Wilkins 3-pointer. BC held the lead for the remainder of the half, as the Tornados took a 31-28 edge into the locker rooms.
BC ballooned its lead up to seven points, 37-30, midway through a low-scoring, physical third period of play. Pfeiffer responded by scoring six of the last nine points in the quarter, as Brevard clung to a three-point margin 39-36 with the contest shifting to the fourth quarter.
Pfeiffer used a 6-1 spurt to retake the lead, 42-40, but consecutive field goals by Boyce and Parkins, coupled with a pair of Hester free throws put BC back up by four.
Brevard's momentum was halted by a couple of 3-pointers from the Falcons, with BC holding a 50-48 edge. Despite several efforts from the visitors to retake the lead however, BC hung tough and did not surrender the lead for the remainder of the way.
Parkins and Rhone knocked in consecutive field goals, and a pair of free throws by Parkins put Brevard back up by six, 56-50, with 3:05 left to play. After two Pfeiffer free their, Boyce knocked in one from the charity stripe at the 1:56 mark.
A pair of Pfeiffer free throws with 35 seconds to play drew the Falcons back to within one possession, forcing a BC timeout. Head Coach Donald Hudson drew up a play out of the timeout that helped seal the deal for BC. With Petty-Wilkins inbounding on the near sideline, Parkins cut down to the left block, caught the ball, and immediately dished the ball to Boyce after drawing the Falcon defender for the easy two-point bucket that put BC back up by five, 59-54.
Pfeiffer responded, however, with a jumper in the paint to cut the deficit back down to three. The Falcons forced a BC turnover on the ensuing inbounds pass, but Shepard answered back with a steal of her own on Pfeiffer's next inbounds pass. The Summerville, South Carolina senior guard made a free throw, and Brevard got a stop on the defensive end to wrap up the 60-56 win.
BC will host first-place Southern Virginia on Saturday at 2 p.m. at The Bosh in a battle of the two teams atop the USA South standings.
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