BABSON PARK, Fla. – While the Thomas University women's basketball team had five individuals in double figures for the first and only time of the 2015-16 season, the Lady Night Hawks struggled to pick up defensive stops dropping their second Sun Conference contest in a row this afternoon, falling to Webber International 77-65.
 
Thomas held the lead twice during the game, 3-2 and 19-18, and showed signs of consistency in the opening half of play; however, Webber International responded with a 2-3 pressure defense from the half court set forcing early turnovers before the end of the second quarter.  These offensive miscues by the Lady Night Hawks enabled Webber to respond with fast breaks and as they closed the second quarter with an 11-3 to take 36-24 advantage into the intermission.
 
With 2:47 left in the third quarter, the Lady Warriors pushed the tempo and gathered their largest lead of the contest, 53-34, on layup, foul, and and-one make by WIU's Victoria Baggett.
 
TU hung in and slowly chipped away at Webber's advantage narrowing the gap to within eight, 73-65, with just under a minute remaining in the game.  While the push in the final minutes of the contest showed signs of controlled play in comparison to the opening half, the early lead gained by Webber doomed Thomas' attempt for a come-from-behind victory.  At the buzzer, the Lady Night Hawks fell 77-65.
 
Shaunice Bennett and Laura Cherranfant led the Lady Night Hawks scoring 15 and 11 points, respectively.  Cherranfant picked up her first double-double of the season as well, bringing down a game high 11 boards.  Webber's Mar'Lisa Braxton led all scorers with 20 points.
 
The Lady Night Hawks return to action on Thursday, Jan. 21 when they travel to North Miami, Fla., to face Johnson & Wales in Sun Conference action. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m.
 
By the Numbers:
5 – Lady Night Hawks in double figures in scoring
5 – Days until Thomas faces Johnson & Wales
11 – Game high total of rebounds by Laura Cherranfant
15 – Points scored by TU's scoring leader Shaunice Bennett
26 – Total turnovers by Lady Night Hawks
44 – Total rebounds by the Lady Night Hawks
65 – 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.