THOMASVILLE, Ga. – The Thomas University women's basketball team battled back late in the fourth quarter Wednesday night against Brewton-Parker, but 29 points in the game's final 10 minutes ultimately was not enough, as the Lady Night Hawks fell 76-65 to the Lady Barons.
"We just have to learn to stop digging ourselves into holes," head coach
Coretta Brown said of her team, which was down 42-21 at halftime. "Coming into the game, I don't think we were as focused as we should have been, and the first three quarters showed that. We need to decide to come together as a team before we get behind."
Despite the loss, Thomas again showed its proficiency on the glass, as the team outrebounded Brewton-Parker by a wide 43-25 margin. Points were difficult to come by, however, as the Lady Night Hawks managed to shoot just 39 percent from the floor, a number that was vastly improved late in the fourth quarter.
"We need to execute our game plan," Brown continued. "Sometimes when the game starts, we simply aren't executing."
Rayven Thomas led the Lady Night Hawks with 16 points, as her ability to dribble drive and create quality shots near the basket was a major factor in TU's late-game comeback.
"That's just her," Brown said of Thomas' ability to get to the rim. "Rayven, just like everybody else on my team, is very talented. Everybody in our locker room, though, is capable of more."
Bra'shey Ali and
Bria Joyner-Williams both recorded double-doubles for TU, which falls to 2-2 with the loss. Ali scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, an output that was good enough for her fourth double-double of the season in TU's first four games. She scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds on Nov. 7 versus Coastal Georgia.
Joyner-Williams added 12 points and 14 rebounds and was consistently dominant in the paint for Thomas.
"She was solid tonight," Brown said of Joyner-Williams. "She's an absolute leader, and I know what I'm going to get from her consistently. She consistently gives effort, and we need to get everybody else on board with that consistency."
Ze'Nya Butler also added 12 points for the Lady Night Hawks.
"This was a humbling experience," Brown said of the loss. "Hopefully it'll be a wake-up call."
Thomas will be back in action on the road on Tues., Nov. 17 versus Mobile. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
By the Numbers:4 – Night Hawks in double figures in scoring
6 – Days until Thomas faces University of Mobile
14 – Game high total of rebounds by
Bria Joyner-Williams16 – Points scored by scoring leaders
Rayven Thomas (TU) and Kendricka Glover (BPC)
31 – Turnovers by Night Hawks
43 – Total rebounds by the Night Hawks
76 – Points scored by Thomas
For up-to-date information on this game and other TU Athletics, visit
http://www.TUNightHawks.com. Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, play-by-play, and feature stories of your TU women's basketball team by following them via Twitter at
@NightHawksWBKB.
