MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Southern States Athletic Conference Championship came to a close for the University of Tennessee Southern women's basketball squad on Friday with a 75-68 loss to Blue Mountain Christian. The Firehawks were the higher seed left in the top half of the bracket due to William Carey's early departure. UTS fell to 13-9 overall after the loss. With the Firehawk's appearance in the SSAC semifinal, they hope for the season to continue into the national tournament. The NAIA national Championship selection show will be on March 6 at six p.m.
Three Firehawks scored in double figures. Ashley Dickey led all scorers with 22 points. Daysha Reid added 20 points and eight rebounds. Silkiari Vazquez-Troche pitched in 10 points and four assists.
The Firehawks started out in arrears after an early 7-0 Topper run in the opening three minutes. A Kassidy Broussard jumper in the paint got the Firehawks on the board, but the Firehawks struggled in the early going making two of eight from the field. BMCU continued to yield points off Firehawk miscues leading 17-7 with less than a minute remaining in the opening stanza. UTS trailed 17-8 after one. The Firehawks shot 3-13 from the field and 1-5 from range shooting 20 percent from both locations. Broussard led UTS with five points.
Shots began to fall for the Firehawks in the second period shooting 7-16 from the floor for 44 percent. Dickey scored seven in the quarter. UTS closed to within three with 4:27 left before the water break. Once again BMCU reeled off 10 of the last 14 points to lead 33-24 at the half.
The third quarter continued to plague the Firehawks as the shot 6-19 for 32 percent. UTS was able to close to within six to the red hot Toppers, but a third straight quarter ending run kept UTS behind the eight ball. UTS trailed 54-39 heading to the final quarter. Dickey added five points to give her 12 through three quarters.
In the final 10 minutes, The Firehawks ignited scoring 29 attempting to overcome the large deficit. BMCU started the quarter pushing their lead out to 16 points inside the opening minute. UTS made a late charge outscoring the Toppers 18-8 to trail 73-68 with less than a minute left.
BY THE NUMBERS
37.1 – UTS shot 26-70 for 37.1 percent, four percent behind BMCU
3 – The Firehawks struggled from distance connecting on only three of 16 triples, BMCU made 11 of 26.
9 – BMCU made 22 of 24 trips to the charity stripe, UTS only connected on 12 of 20.
19 – UTS pulled down 30 rebounds, 19 less than the Toppers.
23 – UTS forced 23 BMCU turnovers, only committing seven.
46 – UTS led in points in the paint 46-20.
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