Demorest, GA – The William Peace women's basketball team held the USA South's top scoring team in check Friday night, but the Pacers offense couldn't keep up with league leading Piedmont College as they fell, 63-56.
Piedmont (10-1, 4-0 USAS) has been one of the top scoring offenses in all of Division III this year, averaging 80.5 points per contest while shooting 43% from the field. WPU (3-5, 1-2 USAS) managed to hold them 17 points below their season average, limiting the Lions to a 31.9% (23-72) outing from the field. The Pacers couldn't muster up any offense themselves though, shooting only 30% (21-70) from the field.
"I thought we played very well defensively, which kept us in the game, because we didn't execute as well as we're capable of offensively" said head coach Kelly Johnson. "We were right in it and had an opportunity to get a big win on the road, but the dry spells on offense really hurt us."
WPU trailed by nine (19-10) eight minutes in after a quick 6-0 spurt from the Lions. The Pacers regained their composure and got it to within two points (27-25) thanks in large part to three consecutive buckets for Alexis Armstrong, but Piedmont closed the half out on a 10-0 swing to pull ahead by 12 (37-25) at the break.
The Lions went ahead by as many as 14 points (49-35) at the 15:11 mark, but neither team scored for the next five minutes until DeJah Cheathem single handedly brought WPU back. Cheathem hit two from beyond the arc in a span of 20 seconds and then hit two from the charity stripe making it a six point, 49-43, game with 8:51 to play. Derrica Jones hit a pair of free-throws making it a five point (54-59) game with two minutes left, but the Pacers ran out of gas and were unable to get any closer.
Armstrong had her best game as a Pacer, recording a career high 14 points on 7-12 (58%) shooting from the field, while matching her career mark with nine rebounds. Jones collected another double-double, her fourth of the year and third in as many games, with 11 points and 15 rebounds. Jones remains the USA South's leading rebounder averaging 11.8 per contest, nearly two rebounds better than Huntingdon's Pat Pickens (10.1). Cheathem also established a new career high scoring 11 points.
Dakota Sullens led Piedmont with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds. Le'Shaunda Jones was the other Lion to reach double-figures with 13 points, four rebounds, four steals, and an assist. Brianna Barret scored eight points to go along with 14 rebounds.
The WPU women's basketball team will return to action this Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in their last non-conference game of the year against Saint Andrews University. The knights are coached by former Pacer great, Brooke Johnson, who returns to coach against not only her former team, but her dad.
Stay up to date with William Peace Athletics via social media: Like us on Facebook, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
