Truett McConnell Holds Off Golden Tigers 63-51

Cleveland, Georgia- The Brenau basketball team rallied from a big first half deficit but came up short in a 63-51 loss in Appalachian Athletic Conference competition on Tuesday.

After a competitive first quarter, the Golden Tigers offense went cold, shooting 0-10 from the floor as the host Bears led 39-18 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, Brenau outscored Truett McConnell 12-10 but was unable to cut into the lead. Junior Katherine Fourie scored five points in the period to help the team get back on track heading into the fourth quarter.

In the final stanza, the Brenau defense found its stride by forcing the Bears into 12 turnovers in the period. Sophomore Nyla Moore scored seven points in the quarter, while freshman Taylor Williams added four points in the rally. The squad cut the deficit in half and outscored the Bears 21-14 in the period, but were unable to finish the comeback as the team missed some crucial shots down the stretch.

Senior post Xian Lopez led the Golden Tigers with 17 points, seven rebounds and six steals, while Moore posted 15 points.

Truett's Re'Tavia Floyd led all scorers with 22 points.

Brenau (4-8 overall, 3-7 AAC) next returns to the hardwood against Montreat (NC) College (7-9 overall, 4-7 AAC) in an AAC matchup on Saturday at 2 pm.