SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Behind three double-double performances, the Converse University women's basketball team defeated the Johnson C. Smith University Golden Bulls by a final score of 54-51 Thursday afternoon at the Weisiger Center.

With the win, Converse improves to 1-10 on the season. Johnson C. Smith falls to 3-5.

Senior Mazie Helpman led the Valkyries offensively with 18 points. She also led the Valkyries in rebounding with 12. Junior Tatiana Brown and senior Andrea Gutierrez Ciordia also recorded double-doubles. Brown tallied 14 points and 10 rebounds while Gutierrez Ciordia scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

"I'm proud of the fight and culture from the group. They have bought into what we teach all year and earned this win with their togetherness and positive energy," stated head coach Kevin Lyons following his first career coaching win. "I am especially proud of the leaders on the team who gave everything they had to get us over the edge!"
 
How It Happened
After a Johnson C. Smith turnover on the game's opening possession, senior Andrea Gutierrez Ciordia netted the game's first basket, putting Converse up early. They scored again before Johnson C. Smith got on the board. Over two minutes elapsed before another basket was scored, again by Converse, putting the Valkyries up four points once again. A Converse free throw from senior Tatiana Brown put the Valkyries' lead at five points before the Golden Bulls tied the game at seven points. They tied the game again at eight points with the front half of a pair of free throws and took a one-point lead with the back half. A last-second two pointer put Johnson C. Smith up 11-9 going into the second quarter.

With the first basket of the second quarter, Converse cut the lead to just one point and took the lead just under two minutes later. The Valkyries built the lead up to eight points, 19-11, with 5:15 remaining in the first half. A pull-up jump shot with 5:06 finally got the Golden Bulls on the board in the second quarter. Johnson C. Smith ended the quarter on a five-minute 15-2 run following the second-quarter media timeout and took a 28-21 lead into halftime.

The Valkyries cut the lead to just three points as Brown, Gutierrez Ciordia and Helpman each tallied two points over the first three and a half minutes of the second half. Brown cut the lead to one point with just over five minutes in the third quarter and took the lead with another jumper just over 60 seconds later. The teams exchanged the lead on the next three baskets before Johnson. C Smith was able to keep and hold the lead for the rest of the quarter.

Converse worked to tie the game at 43 over the first two and a half minutes of the fourth quarter and then again at 45 points 40 seconds later. With just over three minutes left in the game, the Valkyries rallied to put the game even at 49 points. Junior Rayanna Evans sank a layup to put Converse up for the final time. Brown drilled a free throw and Gutierrez Ciordia sank a last-second layup to give the Valkyries their first win of the season 54-51.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Helpman led all players with 18 points. She shot 8-17, 47.1 percent, from the field and sank both of her free throw attempts.
• Brown and Gutierrez Ciordia also scored double-digit points with 14 and 11 points respectively. Both players also grabbed 10 rebounds.
• Converse tied their season-high in rebounding with 51 total rebounds. The Valkyries set a new season-high in defensive rebounds at 35.
• The Valkyries shot 22-61, 36.1 percent, from the field and 10-13, 76.9 percent, from the charity stripe.
• The Valkyries also tied a season-high in blocks with five.
• Converse recorded 11 points off of turnovers and 16 second-chance points.

Up Next
The Valkyries return to action on Saturday, Dec. 20 as they head to Hartsville to take on the No. 8 Coker University Cobras. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 P.M.

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