The Centre women's basketball team had their chances to score on Sunday, December 5 against Birmingham Southern, but the Colonels were unable to get the ball to go in for them, as the Panthers won 70-57 in Danville, Ky. The Colonels dropped to 4-3 overall and to 1-1 in the SCAC.
Katelyn Wilson hit a three point basket to put Birmingham Southern ahead 3-0 at the start of the game, but junior Maggie Prewitt (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) responded for the Colonels by hitting a layup and converting on her free throw attempt to tie the game at 3-3 with 18:07 to go in the first half.
Birmingham Southern would hit their second straight three point basket on their next possession to go back up by three points.
Centre made a comeback as sophomore Chelsea Benham (Taswell, Ind.) made a jumper to make it a 6-5 game and then M. Prewitt gave Centre their first lead of the game when she hit a jumper following a steal to go ahead 7-6 with 14:17 on the clock.
The Panthers immediately took the lead back after Wilson made a layup to make it a 8-7 game. Birmingham Southern would build their lead up to seven points after Sam Davidson hit two free throw attempts with 11:07 to go in the first half.
Benham made it a one point game at the 5:58 mark, as she hit a jumper to cut Birmingham Southern's lead to 20-19.
Birmingham Southern built their lead back up to a game high eight points with 2:34 to go in the first half after Ashton Spurgin made a layup and a free throw shot. The Panthers went into halftime with a 32-26 lead over the Colonels.
Centre shot 31.3% from the floor in the first half of action and they were four for five from the free throw line. Birmingham Southern made 38.5% of their shots from the floor in the first half and they were 85.7% from the free throw line.
The Colonels began the second half of play with a made layup by Benham and senior Angela Tronzo (Bardstown, Ky.) hit a free throw to make it a 32-29 game.
Davidson would respond for the Panthers as she hit a three point basket to put the Panthers ahead by six with 17:03 to go in the game.
Benham answered with jumper to make it a 35-31 game with 16:45 on the clock, but Birmingham Southern then went on a 7-0 run to extend their lead to 11 points, as they went up 42-31.
Centre continued to fight, cutting the Panther lead back down to three points at the 12:03 mark. M. Prewitt made a layup on a Benham assist to push the score to 42-39.
The Panthers were able to get their lead back up to double digits, before the Colonels made another run and cut the lead back to three points with 7:07 on the clock.
Centre kept the game close for the next few minutes, as they were down 52-49 with 4:41 on the clock.
Birmingham Southern would finish the game with one last run building their lead back up to double digits. The Panthers went on to win the game 70-57.
The Colonels made 32.2% of their shots during the game and they were 80% from the free throw line. Birmingham Southern hit 42.3% of their shots during the game and they made 88.9% of their free throw attempts.
Benham led the Colonels in scoring and rebounding with 16 points and nine boards. M. Prewitt and senior Amanda Stovall (Louisville, Ky.) each had three assists.
Davidson had 19 points for the Panthers and Alex Adams had nine rebounds, while Wilson had three assists.
Centre will return to action as Tuesday, December 14 as they take on Spalding University in Louisville, Ky. at 7:00 p.m.
