MONTGOMERY, Ala. ----- Kaylan Withrow scored a career-high 39 points, hitting nine 3-pointers in the process, as the Auburn Montgomery women's basketball team defeated West Alabama 72-69 and avenged an early-season loss to the Tigers Thursday.

NOTES
• AUM improved to 2-13 on the season and snapped an 11-game skid.
• West Alabama fell to 4-6 on the season.
• The 39 points by Withrow bettered her previous career best of 34, set against Florida Memorial on Nov. 1, 2014.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Withrow finished 13-of-25 from the field, including 9-of-20 from behind the arc, and 4-for-4 from the charity stripe en route to the career high. She added three rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
• Grace Farnsworth also scored in double figures, finishing with 17 points, while adding six rebounds.
• Shanna Strain came off the bench and scored eight points and pulled down four rebounds in 33 minutes.
• Nadia Stewart finished with four points, five assists, five rebounds and three steals.
• Chloe Culpepper posted a double-double for the Tigers of 19 points and 10 rebounds.
• Catherine Taylor (16) and Ariel Wilson (12) also scored in double figures for UWA.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• AUM was held scoreless for the opening 3:44 of the contest before a trey by Withrow pulled the teams even at 3-3. The Tigers opened up an 11-5 lead following an 8-2 spurt, capped by a Wilson layup with 2:37 remaining in the first quarter. West Alabama led 13-8 after one quarter.
• The Warhawks battled back and took their first lead of the game on a jumper by Farnsworth, 17-15, with 7:01 remaining in the second quarter. AUM continued to apply pressure, adding a 6-2 run capped by a Withrow jumper to build a 23-17 lead with 2:08 remaining before the half. The Tigers closed the period with four straight points to cut the halftime deficit to 23-21.
• Tied at 38-38 with 3:12 remaining in the third quarter, AUM closed the half with an 8-3 run and took a 46-41 lead to the fourth quarter.
• In the opening nine minutes of the fourth quarter, the Warhawks and Tigers exchanged the lead six times, but with 58 seconds remaining, AUM trailed 67-66 following a 3-pointer by Peyton Parker. The Warhawks took the lead for good on a jumper by Farnsworth with 40 seconds remaining, a basket which started a 6-2 run to close the game. Withrow sealed the victory with four straight free throws in the final 12 seconds.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• The Warhawks converted 25-of-67 shots from the floor, including 12-of-31 from behind the arc. AUM also finished 10-of-14 from the charity stripe.
• The Tigers converted 37.7 percent of their shots from the field, including 36.8 percent from distance. West Alabama was 16-of-23 from the free throw line.
• AUM forced 19 turnovers, converting those miscues into 12 points. The Warhawks committed 12 turnovers, which led to eight UWA points.
• The Tigers held a 24-12 advantage in scoring in the paint.
• West Alabama outrebounded the Warhawks 50-33, including 17-9 on the offensive boards. The Tigers held a 15-6 advantage in second-chance points.
 
UP NEXT
The Warhawks will return to the road, when they travel to Columbus State on Saturday, Dec. 31, for 12:30 p.m. tilt.