BLUEFIELD, Va. | The Truett McConnell women's basketball team led by as many as 15 in the second half but went cold from the field in the fourth quarter, giving Bluefield the chance to come from behind and defeat the Bears, 51-45, Saturday afternoon. The loss drops the Bears to 6-5 and 4-3 in AAC play.

The Bears got off to a great start defensively, holding the Rams to just five points in the first quarter and, then, just seven in the second.

TMU stretched its nine-point halftime lead to 15 early in the third quarter when Janae' Simpson hit a jumper with 7:47 left in the period. The Bears held a double-digit lead until 3:06 left in the third but held the lead all the way up to the 6:17 mark in the fourth. The two teams battled back and forth until the Rams were able to pull away for the six-point win.

Quinlan Hughes led four Bears in double figures with 12 points, while Anna Murr added 11. Simpson and Ariana Sanders contributed 10 each.

TMU will play three out-of-conference games next week at home, starting with Agnes Scott on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Bear Cave.