Women’s Basketball team drops home conference game against Truett-McConnell Bears

AJ Price pulled the St. Andrews Knights within three points of the visiting Truett-McConnell Bears with 7:06 minutes to play, but the home team could not gather enough offensive momentum to secure a third conference win in Tuesday night's Appalachian Athletics Conference (AAC) matchup at Harris Court. 

The Knights fought tooth and nail for three quarters to stay in stride with the Bears from Cleveland, GA, trailing by as much as 10 at two different points during the first three quarters. 

After Ava Queen sunk both her shots from the free throw line and Mahalah Stewart nailed a long three-pointer, the Bears pulled out in front by eight (68-60) as time ticked down. 

Price tried to answer with a three of her own on the following possession, but to no avail. Her second attempt after a Samantha Tougher offensive rebound did not find the net either, opening the door for the Bears to extend their mounting lead. 

Freshman standout Emily Cruz took her open look at the net from beyond the arc at 4:37, making the field goal to cut the lead back down to five (68-63) and keeping the Knights' hope alive. 

The matchup took an unusual turn coming out of the 30 second timeout called by the Knights with less than a minute left on the clock. A two-possession game with the Knights trailing 76-72, Cruz was called for a foul succeeded by a technical foul seconds later. The Bears' Sydnie Smith was sent to the line for four shots, making two, pulling the Bears out in front by seven.

After a missed AJ Price jumper, the whistle was called for a dead ball. Knights' head coach Randall Johnson, unhappy with no foul called on the previous play, received two successive technical fouls, allowing the Bears the final opportunity to slam the door shut on their opponents. 

Kayleigh Kelley went 3-4 from the stripe, sending the Bears to their third overall win of the season and their third AAC win. The Knights record moves to 3-7, 2-7. 

Starks led the Knights' offense with 22 points on 8-18 shooting from the field, including going 3-9 from behind the three-point arc. Price finished with 20 points, eight assists, and one rebound, along with seven of her teams nine steals. 

The Knights travel next to Waleska, GA, on Tuesday, January 2 to face off against Reinhardt University at 5:30 P.M. EST.