PULASKI, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Southern women's basketball team closed out the home portion of their schedule welcoming the Barons from Brewton-Parker College on Saturday. The Firehawks honored five seniors after the 97-74 win in the Southern States Athletic Conference Game of the Week. The game also had pivotal implications for both the Firehawks and Barons as they began the day fighting for fourth in the conference standings. UTS moved to 11-8 on the season and 10-5 in league play.
UTS honored Daejah Maklary, Daysha Reid, LaRose Morrow, Kassidy Broussard, and Takiyah Goff. Four Firehawks scored in double figures. Goff led all scorers with 25 points. Ashley Dickey added 24 points. Reid contributed 20 points and nine rebounds. Broussard pitched in 15 points. Lauren Smith pulled down 10 boards as well in the win.
Brewton-Parker led once in the game, holding a 3-2 lead 30 seconds into the game. In a physical match up, the Firehawks' defense forced 19 BPC turnovers and held them to 27-85 (31.8%) from the floor.  Reid led the scoring attack in the opening quarter netting 11 points on 4-5 shooting. UTS shot 53 percent in the first stanza almost doubling up BPC. UTS led 25-18 after one.
In the second quarter, BPC outscored the Firehawks 22-21. BPC put up 28 shots in the quarter making nine to the Firehawks 13 shots making seven. Goff highlighted the quarter hitting 4-5 shots posting 12 points. UTS led 46-40 at the break.
With the momentum shifting to the Barons after the first half, The Firehawks began to fire on all cylinders in the third. UTS scored 29 in the quarter and began to distance themselves from the visitors. Reid and Silkiari Vazquez-Troche paved the way for the home team scoring eight and seven respectively in the period. UTS shot 11-17 (65%) in the quarter holding the Barons to five made field goals.  UTS held a 75-58 lead heading to the fourth.
In the final period, UTS sprinted to a high point total for the year missing the century mark by three points. Dickey marked the score sheet turning in 11 points. UTS shot 7 of 15 and added a perfect seven of seven from the line in the final quarter.
BY THE NUMBERS
54.8 – UTS shot 34 of 62 for 54.8 percent, 23 percent more than the Barons.
6 – UTS connected on six trifectas, two more than BPC.
23 – UTS made 30 trips to the charity stripe, making 23. Brewton-Parker made 27 trips making 16.
34 – UT Southern pulled down 34 rebounds, 24 less than the Barons.
19 – UTS committed 14 turnovers, forcing 19 by BPC.
24 – The Firehawks netted 24 points off Baron miscues.
 
NEXT UP
The Firehawks will close the season out with one last crucial SSAC match up, traveling to North Mississippi to battle Blue Mountain Christian. The face off is set for Saturday, February 22^nd at noon. UTS defeated BMCU back in early January, 87-68 in Pulaski.
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