Basketball Falls Late to Tennessee Wesleyan

The Brenau basketball team fell to Tennessee Wesleyan University 67-60 in an Appalachian Athletic Conference matchup on Thursday in Gainesville.

The contest saw 10 ties and 17 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than five until the final minute of play.

After a quick 7-2 start by the Golden Tigers, the Bulldogs responded with a quick 5-0 run of their own to close out the first period with a 14-12 Brenau lead. Both teams were even 16-16 in the second quarter, with the home team taking a 30-28 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, the Bulldogs' Hunter Simpson scored seven straight points to keep her team close, while a three point shot late in the quarter by Savannah Atkins gave the visitors a 50-46 lead going into the final stanza.

In the fourth quarter, Carmen Garcia-Pitarch Lopez scored four straight points to tie the game for the sixth time. The teams traded the lead four more times, including four ties, until the 2:37 mark when two free throws by Simpson gave Tennessee Wesleyan a 61-60 lead. The Golden Tigers failed to score a basket in the last two minutes to fall 67-60.

Ashanti Brown posted a career-high 17 points, while Autumn Dodson added 11. Lopez chipped in nine points and six rebounds, and Jasmine Knight posted five points, 12 rebounds and five assists.

Simpson led Tennessee Wesleyan with a game-high 28 points.

Brenau (12-5 overall, 7-5 AAC) next hosts St. Andrews (NC) College on Wednesday at 5:30 in Gainesville.