DUE WEST, S.C. – Using a balanced effort, the Converse College basketball team picked up a tough Conference Carolinas road win at Erskine College on Saturday afternoon inside Belk Arena. Dominique Hill paced the Valkyries with a game-high 18 points. 

GAME INFORMATION

Score: Converse 65, Erskine 56

Records: Converse (4-24, 3-16 CC), Erskine (5-19, 5-14 CC)

Location: Belk Arena, Due West, S.C. 

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• Ellen Nardella and Ashley Sides also contributed double-digit points, chipping in 17 and 12, respectively.
• Lindsey Hardin turned in a solid all-around performance with seven points to go along with a team-high seven rebounds.
• The Valkyries defense held Erskine to a dismal 32.2% from the floor (19-59), including just 2-of-16 from three (12%).
• Erskine held a slim 42-38 margin on the boards.
• Converse, trailing only one time in the contest, maintained the lead for a season-high 38:16.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Quarter

Alexis Scott got the scoring started for Erskine, but Sides and Nardella knocked down back-to-back threes, followed by a layup from Dominique Hill to cap an 8-2 run over the next three minutes of game action, giving Converse the early advantage. Converse built its lead to 13-8, but the Fleet were able to close the quarter with the final four points. 

Second Quarter

Converse began to shoot the ball with confidence to start the second quarter, using a spurt of 15-2 to take a double-digit lead (28-14) at the 3:19 mark. During the crucial run, Converse was able to find its range from deep, connecting on three shots from downtown. 

Playing with offensive rhythm, Converse continued to extend its lead. Shakori Jennings-Shuler dominated the boards for the Purple and Gold, collecting several offensive rebounds and scoring the high-percentage shots at the rim. The Valkyries defense was also stellar during the second frame, holding Erskine to just eight points on 2-of-14 from the floor, taking a commanding 36-20 lead into halftime, their biggest advantage of the season. 

Third Quarter

Sides picked up where she left off in the first half, drilling a three from the top of the key followed by Hill's second trey of the contest, ballooning the Valkyries lead to 42-22 with four minutes off the clock in the third quarter. 

Erskine used the charity stripe to chip away at the Valkyrie lead, tallying six straight points from the free throw line, pulling to within 42-28 at the 4:15 mark. However, Converse continued to play its game, using a balanced attack to push the advantage out to 50-31 heading to the fourth period. 

Fourth Quarter

Erskine was the aggressor to begin the fourth, outscoring the Valkyries 18-8 over the initial four-plus minutes, cutting the deficit to single digits (58-49) with two minutes left in regulation. From that point, the Valkyries were in scramble mode, doing their best to hang on and secure the win. Bhrianna Jackson and Hill iced the game at the free throw line, knocking down the final four shots to help the Purple and Gold prevail. 

UP NEXT

Converse will head to Gaffney, S.C. on Wednesday, February 19, facing off against Limestone College at 6 p.m. inside the Timken Center.