GEORGETOWN, TEXAS - The Pirates women's basketball hit the road for the four-hour bus ride to Houston, Texas, after suffering a loss to the Centenary College Ladies on Friday night. The University of St. Thomas Celts awaited the Pirates for their Sunday afternoon matchup in the Jerabeck Athletics Center.
It was evident the Celts felt the energy of the crowd and their home court; It was a back-and-forth affair all afternoon between the two teams. The Celts secured a six-point, 18-12, first-quarter lead thanks to scoring from six different St. Thomas players. It was first-year forward Akyra Hodges (AK) who kept in reach in the first quarter, scoring seven points with five rebounds and an assist.
The second quarter saw the Pirates get hot on offense, scoring twenty-two points and shooting 67 percent from the field. Aniyah Burke scored seven points in the second, while Hallie Mayfield scored six of her own. Emily Edwards added a three-pointer to the mix, and Hodges scored again as well. Fifteen second-half points by St. Thomas allowed the Pirates to gain momentum and a 34-33 lead going into the half.
The third quarter saw the Pirate's offense cool off from their run in the first half. When the Pirates needed scoring, they went to Hodges, who kept them in the game in the third quarter with six points and two rebounds. Hodges would go on to secure the first double-double of her career, racking up ten rounds and nineteen points for the game.
A defensive battle ensued in the final quarter of the game, with neither team scoring more than eleven points in the quarter. With the game inside three minutes to play, the Celts held a three-point, 54-57 lead. Baskets by Hodges and Burke gave the Pirates a one-point advantage with just two seconds left. The Celts inbounded the ball and attempted a last-chance three-pointer. In a stroke of bad luck for the Pirates, there was a foul called on the three-point attempt, which sent the St. Thomas player to the free-throw line. She would go on to make two out of three of her attempts to give the Celts a 59-58 win and no time remaining for the Pirates.
The Pirates will have over a week to rest and prepare for their road trip to Seguin, Texas, where they will take on the Texas Lutheran Bulldogs on Tuesday, February 7th, at 5:30 PM
