CARROLLTON, Ga. – Despite a career-high 16 points from sophomore forward
Regan Croff, the Auburn Montgomery women's basketball team dropped a 72-44 decision at West Georgia on Tuesday evening.
NOTES
• AUM drops to 6-8 on the season and 2-5 in Gulf South Conference action.
• West Georgia improves to 9-5 on the year, 5-2 in GSC play.
• The Warhawks pulled down a season-best 20 offensive rebounds in the loss
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Croff connected on 7-9 shooting en route to game-high total while adding five rebounds and two steals.
• Junior guard/forward
Jemaiya Lee chipped in 12 points with eight boards.
• Sophomore guard
Aaliyah Milord led the Warhawks with three steals and assists to go with eight rebounds.
• For West Georgia, Aysha Harris led four Wolves in double-digits with 12 points while posting five assists and five steals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• AUM scored the opening basket of the contest, getting a triple from freshman guard
Makaylla Bullard 36 seconds into play. West Georgia got on the scoreboard with their first basket almost a minute later, sparking a 9-1 stretch to make it 9-4 with 5:51 remaining in the quarter. Croff ended the spree with a layup, but the hosts responded with a 5-0 spurt to extend the lead to eight at 14-6. AUM ended the frame on a 6-2 run with points from Lee, Croff and junior guard/forward
Evelina Avleeva to make it 16-12.
• The Warhawks carried the momentum from the previous stanza into the second quarter, scoring the opening points of the frame off a pair of free throws from Lee to make it a two-point game at 16-14. West Georgia created separation with an 8-2 retort, making it 24-16 with 7:02 left in the half. AUM cut into the deficit with back-to-back baskets from senior guard
Kyla Rooks and Milord, but West Georgia ended the frame on a 15-4 run to hold a 39-24 lead at the intermission.
• The two sides exchanged the opening 12 points of the third quarter to keep the separation at 15, 45-30, with Croff and Bullard both scoring during the stretch. West Georgia ended the quarter on a 14-1 run to lead 59-31.
• West Georgia created a game-high 30-point lead midway through the final quarter at 68-38 with 5:36 left in the game. AUM responded with back-to-back baskets from Croff, with the Warhawks getting free throws from junior center
Makayla Liles and freshman guard
Jessika Milton before the final whistle.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• The Warhawks converted on 17-60 shots, going 1-19 from three-point territory and 9-16 from the free throw line.
• West Georgia went 28-62 from the field, 6-12 from beyond the arc and 10-17 from the free throw line.
• AUM held a 42-40 advantage in rebounds.
• AUM recorded 11 assists while the Wolves had 13
• AUM committed 24 turnovers, resulting in 26 West Georgia points. The hosts committed 17 turnovers, leading to 14 points.
• AUM recorded 11 steals with four blocks while West Georgia stole the ball 15 times.
QUOTING THE COACH
"I though Regan played a solid game all-around," head coach
Dan Davis said. "She has been coming into her own offensively over these past few games. We have always known what she is capable of on the court and she is starting to see it as well. Credit to West Georgia tonight, they are a tough, physical team whose size and strength gave us a lot of problems. I thought we got off to a good start tonight, we were right there with them until the second quarter when we had a couple bad possessions that West Georgia capitalized on, quickly turning a two-point game into a 15-point game. We need to limit our turnovers, we are not giving ourselves a chance to win when we are turning the ball over 24 times. We are in a tough stretch in our schedule right now, we have to move on quick and get ready for Alabama Huntsville on Saturday in our first home game of the new year."
UP NEXT
The women's basketball team plays its first home game of 2018 on Saturday, Jan. 13 against the University of Alabama in Huntsville with tipoff slated for 2 p.m.
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