The Tiffin University women's basketball team lost to GMAC opponent Kentucky Wesleyan 71-61, as four Dragons hit double-digit points.
The Panthers improve to 15-9 overall and 12-6 in the GMAC, while the Dragons fall to 11-12 overall and 8-9 in the GMAC.
The Panthers jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game. Kentucky Wesleyan followed that with an 8-5 run to lead by double digits at the 4:21 mark of the first quarter. The Dragons were outscored 26-15 in the first quarter.
The Panthers could do no wrong in the first half as they started the second quarter on a 14-2 run to lead by 23 with 5:17 left in the second quarter. Kentucky Wesleyan took their lead into halftime up 50-25.
Tiffin never gave up though and after halftime they strung together an 18-5 run, cutting the lead down to 12 points with 3:31 left in the third. The Panthers stopped the bleeding temporarily with a 4-0 run but the Dragons kept the pressure up and cut the lead down to 11 points at 59-48 by the end of the third quarter.
In the final frame, the Dragons kept their momentum going as they went on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to single digits at 59-53 for the first time since the first quarter. After a good layup from the Panthers at the 7:19 mark, neither team was able to make a bucket until the 5:03 mark when Tate made a layup to cut the lead to six. Tiffin made the next bucket to cut the lead down to four at 61-57 with 3:53 left in the game. However, the Panthers made some key buckets and free throws to outscore the Dragons 10-4 in the final minutes to win 71-61.
Dana Rose and Aarion Nichols led the Dragons with 14 points each as Nichols shot 5-for-15 from the field with six rebounds, two assists, and 3 steals, while Rose shot 5-for-11 from the field, grabbed six rebounds, five assists, and 2 steals. Savanah Richards scored 13 points shooting 5-for-12, grabbed five rebounds, one assist, and one block, and Jada Tate tallied 10 points shooting 5-for-8 from the field with five rebounds, one assist, two blocks, and one steal.