Greensboro College’ Lauren Livingston Posts 30 Points in USA South East Division Loss to N.C. Wesleyan, 102-72

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C.—Greensboro College’s Lauren Livingston posted her third-straight 30-point performance as the fourth-seeded Pride fell in the USA South Athletic Conference (USA South) Women’s Basketball East Division Semi-finals, 102-72, to top-seeded North Carolina Wesleyan College.

The Pride (5-8, 5-7 USA South) and the Battling Bishops (15-1, 12-0 USA South) were evened, 7-7 through the first five minutes of the first quarter, but the Battling Bishops extended their lead as large as eleven points near the end of the period.

N.C. Wesleyan’s lead extended to 14 points after the first minute of the second quarter and then grew to 15 points at the 5:41 mark of the period as the Battling Bishops began to gain momentum. The Pride began to methodically chip away at the lead as Greensboro pulled the deficit down to eight points on a Kiara Johnson jump shot at the 2:04 mark of the period. Destiny Timberlake (High Point, N.C./Andrews) made a layup with 1:08 remaining in the period as the Battling Bishops’ advantage shrunk to six points before N.C. Wesleyan went into the locker room up eight points.

The Pride continued to chip away at the Battling Bishops’ led to start the third quarter when Livingston made a jumper 28 seconds into a fast-paced start to the second half as the Pride trailed by just four points. Livingston knocked the lead down to one possession, 51-48, a minute later as she made her third-straight field goal for the Pride at the 8:04 mark. The Pride maintained a close range on N.C. Wesleyan through much of the third quarter, but then the Battling Bishops posted an 18-5 run to close the final 4:10 of the period to extend their lead.

N.C. Wesleyan’s lead extended as large as 32 in the fourth quarter as the Battling Bishops held the advantage in the period, securing the win.

Livingston posted 30 points on nine-for-24 shooting and eleven-for-17 from the foul line. She also posted six assists. Karli Mason came off the bench to post 18 points on six-for-15 shooting while adding two steals.

N.C. Wesleyan’s Kayla Johnson and Myrayna Watkins each posted 18 points each to lead the Battling Bishops. Watkins added nine rebounds.

The Pride shot 39 percent from the field, including 52.6-percent second quarter shooting. The Battling Bishops shot 44 percent from the field, including 60-percent fourth-quarter shooting.

The Pride’s season continues Friday when they travel to Methodist University for a 6 p.m. USA South contest rescheduled from the beginning of the conference’s season.

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Courtesy of Bryan Jones, Greensboro College Sports Information Director