BREVARD, N.C. - Trailing by as many as 13 points midway through the fourth quarter, the Brevard College women's basketball team (14-4, 9-2 USA South) cut the deficit down to four points, 70-66, following an Olivia Miller corner 3-pointer. However, Southern Virginia (13-4, 11-0 USAS) forced a pair of critical turnovers and canned two free throws down the stretch to pull out a four-point victory, 72-68, snapping Brevard's eight-game USA South Conference win streak.
In a rematch of the 2025 USA South Tournament championship, SVU started out hot, opening up a 10-2 lead early. BC cut the first-quarter deficit down to three, but the visitors held a six-point lead after the first period, 21-15.
SVU led by as many as 11 points in the second period before Brevard began to chip away at the margin. A mid-range jumper by Kayla Jean off a Kayden Johnson assist trimmed the deficit to four points, 32-28, and consecutive layups from Johnson and Analee Morris trimmed it down to a two-point margin. Maria Savvun scored in the final moments of the first half, giving SVU a four-point halftime cushion, 36-32.
Southern Virginia kept Brevard at arm's length for the entirety of the third period, with the hosts unable to get closer than four points of the Knights as SVU took a 55-49 lead into the fourth quarter.
A quick 9-2 run by the Knights in the first two-plus minutes of the final stanza pushed their lead to a 13-point margin, 64-51. BC responded, outpacing the Knights 15-6 over the next five minutes to cut the deficit back down to four. SVU forced a pair of turnovers, and Savvun iced the game with two free throws as the Knights held on for the critical conference victory.
Johnson paced four double-digit Tornado scorers with 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting with eight rebounds. Miller registered 13 points, seven rebounds, four steals, and three assists, while Jada Perry-Wilkins accounted for 13 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals with a perfect 6-of-6 mark at the free throw line. Christena Rhone led BC's bench scoring with 10 points.
Savvun led four SVU double-digit scorers, playing all 40 minutes while hitting four 3-pointers in an 18-point effort. Abigail Snyder also did not come out, adding 13 points, while Samantha Smith accounted for 12. Ruth Kempler led bench scoring with 10 points.
SVU shot 48% from the field, while BC hit 43% of its shot attempts. The Knights found the difference beyond the arc, hitting seven 3-pointers compared to three by Brevard.
Brevard is back in action next Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 6 p.m., facing Salem in Winston-Salem, N.C.
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