CLEVELAND, Ga. (February 24, 2024) – The Truett McConnell University women's basketball team closed out regular season play on Saturday, where the Lady Bears fought until the very end to secure the big win over Appalachian Athletic Conference foe Columbia College with a final score of 59-58. TMU enters postseason play with an overall record of 11-17, 10-12 AAC.
 
PLAY-BY-PLAY
The first quarter saw the Lady Bears hot at the start with a 10-point run, sparked by an Alysee Dobbs shot in the paint, an Alexis Brewster jump shot, a Sydnie Smith layup, a Brewster free throw and Mahalah Stewart three-pointer (10-2). Columbia responded with points of their own, but a Destinee Lovejoy shot in the paint added to the Lady Bears lead, followed by back-to-back free throws from Dobbs and back-to-back good free throws from Kacie Williams (20-10). The Koalas fought back in the second quarter, but TMU could not be stopped as two layups from Brewster and a three-pointer and by Dobbs kept the home team up by 16 points. A final shot from Lovejoy left the score 36-22 at the half, while quarter three saw Dobbs on fire with a jump shot and layup at the start (40-24).

With the Lady Bears up by 12, two free throws from Brinkley Kate Reed and a Stewart jump shot added to TMU's lead, but Columbia did not back down as they gained momentum in the final quarter. Both teams were neck and neck until the end, with the Koalas recording a dangerous run in the final seconds, but it was no match for the Lady Bears as the game was secured with a final score of 59-58.
 
LEADERS
Brewster led the way once again for TMU with a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds, followed by Dobbs who had 18 points and nine rebounds. Lovejoy tallied six points and three assists of her own, while Stewart had five points, Kacie Williams had four points, Reed had four points and Smith had four points and five assists.
 
UP NEXT
The Lady Bears enter postseason play on Wednesday, Feb. 28, where they are set to face No. 9 Columbia College at 4:30 p.m. in Kingsport, Tennessee.