MOUNT OLIVE (Nov. 30) – Coming off the Thanksgiving holiday, the University of Mount Olive women's basketball team dropped a 74-55 decision against Florida Southern in non-conference play on Saturday afternoon at Kornegay Arena.
With the loss, the Trojans fall to 1-5 this season and will reenter conference play next week with a pair of home games. It marked the second game between the programs with the first meeting occurring in 2017. Meanwhile, the Moccasins improve to 4-3 overall after playing two games in North Carolina this week.
Senior
Alexis Durham finished with a team-high 13 points while adding three assists, one rebound, and one steal in 32 minutes. Off the bench, freshman
Jerin Truesdale contributed 10 points on five-of-nine shooting with three rebounds in 22 minutes. Junior
Keri Cooper totaled nine points, six rebounds, and two assists in 23 minutes. Junior
Jada Priebe produced a team-high eight rebounds with four points, three assists, and one block in 24 minutes.
Mount Olive started the contest with seven unanswered points before the Mocs responded with a 16-4 run on a perfect six-of-six shooting to take a 16-11 advantage at the 4:46 mark. After a nearly three-minute scoreless drought, the Trojans cut into the deficit with four consecutive points, all scored by Truesdale, 16-15. Florida Southern closed the first quarter by tallying eight of the final 11 points to hold a 24-18 edge. In the second quarter, the Mocs managed to build a 38-25 lead in the closing minutes before UMO answered back with four straight points to trail 38-29 at the break.
The two sides exchanged baskets in the initial three-plus minutes of the third quarter, as the Trojans closed the gap to 45-37 with 5:43 left. Florida Southern countered with a 12-1 run to stretch the lead to 57-38, but Mount Olive made back-to-back shots to trail 57-42 heading into the fourth. UMO converted four-of-seven to start the quarter with four different players scoring, 63-51. The Mocs delivered a strong finish on a perfect five-of-five shots to capture a 74-55 win.
The Trojans finished the game shooting 38.6 percent (22-of-57) from the floor and converted 7-of-11 (63.6 percent) from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, the Mocs shot at a 48.1 clip (25-of-52) from the field and made 8-of-19 (42.1 percent) from three-point range. Florida Southern held a 36-29 rebounding advantage with 28 points in the paint. Mount Olive scored 30 points in the paint and 19 off the bench.
Florida Southern junior Lily Randgaard scored a game-high 23 points on 6-of-14 attempts, adding seven rebounds, one assist, two blocks, and two steals. Senior Anna Denes posted a double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, three blocks, and three steals in 35 minutes. Junior Sydney Gomes achieved a rare triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in 40 minutes.
Mount Olive returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 4, to face North Greenville in Conference Carolinas play in Kornegay Arena at 4 p.m.
