SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Despite the Converse University women's basketball (5-8, 2-4 Conference Carolinas) falling 60-65 to the Southern Wesleyan Warriors (5-10, 3-3 Conference Carolinas) the Valkyries did have something to celebrate as redshirt senior center scored her 1,000th career point in the third quarter.
Wilson, a fifth-year center from Henderson, Tennessee scored 168 points in her first two seasons split between Christian Brothers University and Lenoir-Rhyne University. Since arriving in Spartanburg for the 2021-22 season, Wilson has posted 835 points for the purple and gold. Tonight, the Tennessee native led the Valkyries in scoring with 13 points. She also posted eight rebounds, the second-highest total on the team.
Junior guard Zariyah Washington was the Valkyries' second-leading against the Warriors with 12 points. She completed her double-double with a team-high 12 rebounds. Fellow junior guard EElisa Solé Sanchez was the Valkyries' third-highest scorer with 11 points.
The two teams traded baskets in the first quarter and Converse took a one-point, 13-12 lead into the second quarter. The Valkyries extended that lead to open the second quarter and held off the Warriors to keep it, holding a two-point, 20-18 lead with under five minutes to play in the first half. After tying the game, Southern Wesleyan briefly took a lead before Converse settled at their final first-half total of 26 points. The Warriors made things interesting by cutting that lead to one point, 26-25, heading into the locker room.
The team's against matched baskets in the third quarter, with each squad putting up exactly 15 points in the third frame. Washington led Converse in scoring during the third period with nine points, with just three other Valkyries splitting the team's other six points evenly with two each. With the one-point lead intact, Converse entered the final quarter up 41-40.
Southern Wesleyan tied the game with just under nine minutes to play and grew that lead to four points with 5:35 remaining when Wilson cut the lead to one point with a three-point play. With 90 seconds to play, Southern Wesleyan grew their lead to 10 with quartet of missed shots from the Valkyries.
Junior guard Colbie Perry, appearing in her second game this season, sank two three-point shots within 30 seconds to cut the lead to five points and a layup put the Valkyries within three points. But a 6-4 run from Southern Wesleyan sealed the Valkyries' fate and the Warriors took the game 65-60.
Converse returns to the court on Saturday, January 13 as they host the Chowan Hawks at 2 P.M.
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