GEORGETOWN, Texas — Taylor Carney nailed a 3-pointer with 19 seconds remaining to give the Southwestern women's basketball team a one-point lead, and the Pirates held on to defeat the Colorado College Tigers 71-68 in the conference opener. 

Southwestern's starting backcourt set the tone in the first quarter, with Lauren Fulenwider scorching the Tigers with 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting from deep and Ellie Ward recording five assists to give the Pirates a 28-17 lead. 

The Pirate offense was remarkable, getting downhill off defensive stands, moving the ball quickly to record eight assists on their 11 made first-quarter field goals. 

Colorado College's length settled the Tigers down in the second quarter, holding Southwestern to 7-for-20 shooting (35.0 percent) while a balanced offensive attack brought them back to within 40-36 at the half. 

Southwestern struggled to puncture the Colorado College defense in the third quarter and went cold from outside, shooting just 3-for-15 (20 percent) while the Tigers outscored the Pirates 16-11 to take a 52-51 lead going into the fourth quarter. 

In the fourth quarter, Ward hit a pair of big 3-pointers, putting Southwestern ahead 60-59 with 3:55 remaining. Taylor Carney extended the lead a possession later, pulling down an offensive rebound off a Mia Paz missed 3-pointer and scoring a layup for a 3-point lead. 

Two unanswered Rosie Braley layups gave Colorado College a 65-64 lead with 54 seconds remaining, and Anna Fanelli hit a free throw to give a two-point lead with 30 seconds to put the Tigers up 66-64. 

Ward missed a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession, but Carney pulled down the offensive rebound and dribbled out to the 3-point line, where she drained the biggest shot of the game to put Southwestern up 67-66. The Pirates forced a turnover on the following Colorado College possession. Ward and Paz iced the game with four free throws, with Paz ending the game with a steal on a desperate Colorado College pass as time expired. 

Southwestern's starting backcourt combined for 34 points on 9-for-18 shooting from behind the 3-point line. Ward scored a career-high 19 points and filled up the box score with six rebounds and six assists. Fulenwider scored 15 points on 5-for-8 shooting from 3-point territory. 

Princess Roberts added nine points and pulled down 14 rebounds with four steals, while Jada Hollie struggled from the field with nine points but added four rebounds, six assists, a steal, and a block. 

Three Tigers scored in double figures, led by Audrey Bayston's 13 points on 5-for-15 shooting. Fanelli added 12 with four assists, and Braley had 10 points and seven rebounds. 

Southwestern improves to 5-4 with the victory and 1-0 in conference play. Southwestern will return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 29, on the road against Wisconsin-Eau Claire in Richardson, Texas.