DANVILLE, Ky. – Presley Chirico scored in the closing seconds Friday evening, capping an 85-83 victory over Birmingham-Southern for Centre's first win of the season.
 
With the game tied at 83-83 and three seconds on the clock, Chirico corralled a pass from Natalie Duggins and laid in the game-winner.
 
Centre improves to 1-4 overall and 1-4 in the Southern Athletic Association, while the visiting Panthers slide to 2-8 (0-5 SAA).
 
HIGHLIGHTS
- Centre began the game on a tear, grabbing an early 13-4 advantage after starting 5 of 6 from the field featuring five separate scorers.
- The Panthers answered with a 17-8 stretch through early in the second period, tying the game at 21-21 after a 3-pointer from Audra Putman
- Payton Herold dropped eight points in a high-scoring second quarter, helping Centre claim a 46-42 lead at the half.
- The close battle rolled into the third quarter, and the Panthers eventually took their first lead of the game at 52-51.
- Centre began the fourth quarter on the strength of a 13-3 run, again finding balanced scoring from six individuals. After a 3-pointer from Herold and breakaway layup from Kylee Murray, the Colonels held their largest lead of the game at 75-64.
- As they did in the first half, the Panthers responded with a late push. A 12-2 BSC run allowed the visitors to tie the game at 81-81 with just over 35 seconds remaining.
- Abigail Wehby drove to the hoop to convert a basket on Centre's ensuing possession, but the Panthers' Leah Middleton wasted little time knotting the game at 83-83 to set up the final play.
- Wehby again initiated the play, finding a curling Duggins who would get the ball through traffic to Chirico for the final basket.


 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Herold led the Colonels with 15 points, followed by Chirico's 14.
- Wehby totaled 11 points, nine rebounds, five assists and a pair of steal in an all-around stellar outing.
- Ellen Hicks also finished in double figures with 11 points to go with nine rebounds while drawing six fouls on the opposition.
- Duggins scored eight points and had four assists, and also hauled in a collegiate-best 10 rebounds as Centre out-did BSC on the glass, 55-41.
- Centre shot 8 of 15 (53%) as a team in the fourth quarter.
- The Colonels held the Panthers to season lows in field goals (29) and 3-point field goals (6).
 
UP NEXT
Centre and Birmingham-Southern play the second of the two-game set tomorrow (Saturday) at 1 p.m. ET inside Alumni Gym.