PORTSMOUTH, Ohio. ---- The Life University women's basketball team finished the 2020-21 season on the road Monday night in a narrow 79-74 loss to No. 18 Shawnee State in the play-in game for the Mid-South Conference Tournament.
NOTES
• Life U finishes the year 2-14 as, while Shawnee State improved 17-6.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
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Sydni Tears was one rebound shy of a double-double as she again led the Running Eagles offensively with 31 points, four assists, nine rebounds, a block and a steal.
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Leetoria Dorsey was the only other Running Eagle to finish in double figures on a double-double with 13 rebounds and 12 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Both teams battled for the lead in the early minutes of the game, but the put-back from Dorsey gave Life U a 9-7 lead with 4:33 on the clock. Shawnee State responded moments later with a pair of buckets to lead 13-9. A jumper from Jackson with seven seconds on the clock ended the quarter as the Running Eagles trailed by five, 23-18.
• Shawnee State opened the second quarter on a 10-2 run over the first four minutes of action to lead 33-20. A 14-6 Life U run narrowed the lead to five over the next five minutes as Daphney connected in the paint for two with Shawnee State leading 39-34. A three from Jackson just before the halftime buzzer kept the Running Eagles within four, 41-37 at the break.
• Five minutes into the third quarter, Life U kept the game a two-possession affair with a free-throw from Lee to trail by six, 45-39. A jumper from Tears with 2:47 on the clock gave the Running Eagles the lead 50-49. Shawnee State was able to finish at the free-throw line to take a one-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter 53-52.
• Shawnee State came out firing in the fourth quarter with an 11-2 run over the first three minutes of action to lead 64-54. A pair of baskets from Tears cut the lead to one, 69-68, with 2:32 on the clock. Shawnee State again came up clutch at the free-throw line hitting five of six free-throws to seal the 78-74 win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Life U finished 23-for-56 from the field, 41.1%, while Shawnee State shot 27-for-69, 39.1%.
• Life U shot 2-for-12, 16.7%, from beyond the arc and 26-for-31, 83.9%, from the free-throw line. Shawnee State finished 2-for-23, 8.7%, from distance and 23-for-35, 65.7%, from the free-throw line.
• Life U led Shawnee State in points off turnovers 24-20 and rebounds 40-33.
