In its final regular season, non-conference game and first contest of 2014, the Centre College women's basketball team missed a last-second shot and fell 68-67 to Asbury University Thursday, Jan. 2 in Danville, Ky.

The Colonels fall to 6-5 overall, while the Eagles improve to 10-5 on the year.

A three-pointer by sophomore guard Bonnie Rhule (Versailles, Ky.) gave Centre an early 3-0 lead, but Asbury scored the next eight points to take a five-point advantage.

Ahead 15-12 at the 13:10 mark, the Eagles scored seven more unanswered points to push the lead to 10 (22-12), but the Colonels responded with a 9-0 run to cut the lead to 22-21.

Down two with 3:24 to play in the opening half, senior forward Mary Gordon Stough (Louisville, Ky.) made a lay-up to tie the game at 31-31. Fellow senior forward Paige Baechle (Gallatin, Tenn.) then made a lay-up to give Centre its first lead since the opening 3-0 score. 

Baechle closed the half with another bucket to give her 12 first-half points and the Colonels a 39-35 edge at the break.

Centre extended the lead to as many as 10 points in the second half and had a six-point lead with just over 5:30 to play, but the Eagles would not go away.

Savannah Taylor made a lay-up, and Ellie Steiner hit a pair of free throws to make it a one-point game (59-58) with 3:45 to go. Annissia Wood then made three of her next four free throw attempts to put Asbury in front 61-59.

After freshman Olivia Colliver (Mount Sterling, Ky.) knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the game, Kylee Gorby drilled a three-pointer to give the Eagles a three-point lead with just over one minute to play.

The Colonels pulled within one point three times in the final minute and with three seconds left, got the ball off an Asbury turnover. Junior guard Maggie Hartlage (Louisville, Ky.) took the inbounds pass near mid-court, drove to the top of the key, and threw up an off-balanced, last-second shot, but it did not go down as time expired.

Centre shot only 35.6% (21-59) from the floor, but made 20 of 25 (80.0%) from the charity stripe. The Colonels were out-rebounded 41-36, but committed a season-low 12 turnovers. 

Baechle tallied another double-double to lead all players in points (25) and rebounds (14). Hartlage added 15 points in 33 minutes of action.

Wood paced four Asbury players in double figures with 15 points and six rebounds. Taylor had 13 points and five rebounds off the bench, and Gorby and Kelli Rinehart finished with 10 points each.

Centre will return to action Saturday, Jan. 4 when the Colonels open SAA play against Sewanee. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. in Alumni Gymnasium in Danville, Ky.