The Centre College women's basketball team cut an eight-point lead to only two with 13 seconds to play, but were unable to complete the comeback and fell 77-72 to Asbury University Thursday, Dec. 13 in Wilmore, Ky.

The loss drops the Colonels record to 3-6 overall, while Asbury improved to 10-3.

Senior guard Bridget Winstead (Franklin, Tenn.) gave Centre an early 3-0 lead with a three-pointer two minutes into the game. Sophomore guard Hillary Moore (Hyden, Ky.) hit two free throws with 15:18 on the clock and the Colonels had their biggest lead of the game at six points (12-6).

The Eagles used a 14-4 run to take a four-point lead at 20-16 and pushed the lead to as many as seven points before taking a six-point lead (46-40) into the break.

Centre shot the ball extremely well making 16 of 24 (66.7%) from the field in the first half, but turned the ball over eight times, which led to a 9-0 edge in points off turnover for Asbury. 

The lead grew to 49-40 early in the second half, but the Colonels fought back and cut the lead to 53-51 with 14:46 to play. 

The Eagles continued to lead by as many as eight points at the 7:49 mark and with 3:48 on the clock. 

Trailing 70-62 with 3:48 remaining, four different players scored as part of an 8-2 run to make it a 74-72 with 13 seconds to go. Forced to foul, Asbury hit three of four from the charity stripe to close the game and hold on for the five-point victory.

Centre finished the game shooting a season-high 58.1% (25-43) from the field and made 18 of 21 free throw attempts but were out-scored 19-6 on points off turnovers and 17-4 on second chance points.

Junior Paige Baechle (Gallatin, Tenn.) had another big game hitting 11 of 16 from the field and seven of eight from the free throw line for a game-high 29 points. She also grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season and had three assists and a steal.

Senior Chelsea Benham also finished in double figures with 11 points and three assists.

Dorian Downs led five Eagles in double figures. Downs scored 19 points and had four assists and three steals. Laura Carroll had 15 points. Trenia Barbee and Kelli Rinehart tallied 12 points each, while Lakin Griffth added11 points in the win.

Centre will take some time off for the holidays and return to action Friday, Dec. 28 for the Huntingdon Classic. The Colonels will look to avenge a loss from earlier in the season against Hanover College at 2 p.m. in Montgomery, Ala.