SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Converse University women's basketball team took their game against the Southern Wesleyan Warriors down to the final seconds, but ultimately fell 78-72 in the Conference Carolinas matchup at the Weisiger Center on Saturday afternoon.

With the loss, Converse falls to 0-8 on the season. Southern Wesleyan improves to 2-6. Converse is 0-3 in conference games this season while the Warriors are now 1-2 in conference action.

Senior Mazie Helpman led all players in scoring with 23 points. 
 
How It Happened
Helpman opened the game with a three-pointer after a trio of scoreless possessions between both teams. Southern Wesleyan fought back, kicking off a run of three straight one-point lead changes. Senior Tatiana Brown hit a jumper with 5:31 remaining in the opening quarter to grow the Valkyries' lead past one point, completing a three-point play to put Converse up four. The Warriors fought back to tie the game at 10 points with 4:18 remaining in the opening quarter. After over two minutes, SWU scored again to reclaim the lead. They held onto that and were up five points, 18-13, heading into the second quarter.

Converse cut the lead down to one point on two occasions over the first four minutes of the second quarter, but didn't take the lead until freshman Madison Fileen hit a pull-up jumper to put Converse up 25-23 with 5:20 to play in the opening half. The game was tied twice over the next two minutes before Southern Wesleyan claimed a 29-27 lead with 3:04 to play in the second quarter. A three pointer from Helpman just inside of two minutes remaining in the half put the Valkyries up 30-29 but Southern Wesleyan took the lead back on their next possession. Down two, Helpman sank her only two free throws of the game to tie the game at 33 points with 21 seconds remaining in the half. Southern Wesleyan hit the front half of a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left, giving them their one-point, 34-33, halftime lead.

Just over two minutes into the second half, senior Andrea Gutierrez Ciordia drilled a pull-up jump shot, kicking off a six-point run, putting Converse up 39-34 with 6:32 remaining in the third quarter. The Warriors responded with a 13-6 run over the next two and a half minutes, putting them up 47-45 with 3:24 remaining in the penultimate quarter. Converse tied the game once again on the next possession. Over the final 2:39 of the quarter, Southern Wesleyan held a three-point advantage, taking a 55-52 lead into the final quarter.

Converse fought hard to take the lead with 8:06 remaining in the game, but Southern Wesleyan tied the game on the next possession and took the lead on the next possession following that. With just under seven minutes to play, Brown knocked down two free throws, tying the game at 61 points. Helpman sank a layup with 6:34 remaining in the game to put Converse up one point, 63-62. It was the Valkyries' last lead of the game. Southern Wesleyan hit a three pointer to put them up 65-63, and Converse met them at the 65-point mark, but the Warriors ended the game on a nearly-five-minute 13-7 run, winning the game 78-72.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Helpman led all players in scoring with 23 points. She shot 8-19, 42.1 percent, from the field and 5-15, 33.3 percent, from beyond the arc. She knocked down both of her free throw attempts.
• Brown scored 21 points, outpacing all players from Southern Wesleyan. Gutierrez Ciordia also scored double-digit points with 12.
• The game was tied 10 separate times and the lead changed hands 15 times.
• The largest lead of the game for either team was six points, which both teams held at point in the game.
• The Valkyries recorded a season-high 51 rebounds.
  • Converse posted 22 offensive rebounds, also a season high.
• Seventy-two points ties a season high for points in a game for the Valkyries.

Up Next
The Valkyries return to action next Saturday, Dec. 13, as they host the Belmont Abbey Crusaders at the Weisiger Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 P.M.

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