The Covenant women’s basketball team used a strong fourth quarter to earn a 67-61 victory over Brevard on Wednesday in USA South action inside Barnes PE Center.
Kaley Hallmark and Bekah Walter led the way for Covenant (6-13, 4-7 USA South) with 14 points each. Hallmark and Walter, also came up big defensively with six steals and four steals, respectively. Joanna Smith contributed 11 points and eight rebounds and Hannah Monday had eight points and eight rebounds off the bench.
In a game that saw 10 ties and 12 lead changes, it was Covenant that opened up a 7-0 lead early on.
A Hallmark 3-pointer grabbed the momentum for the Scots to start the 7-0 run, capped by a Taylor Robinson jumper at the 6:49 mark.
Brevard responded with a 13-0 run of their own to make it 13-7 with three minutes left in the quarter, and the visiting Tornados led 15-14 at the end of the first.
The teams continued to go back-and-forth in the second period. Covenant tied the score at 26-26 after a Margo Koby jumper with 3:48 left and the teams entered halftime tied at 32.
The score remained close for the entire third quarter. Covenant’s largest lead of the quarter came with 55 seconds left in the period when Walter sank two free throws for a 50-46 advantage. Covenant held a 50-48 lead to begin the final quarter.
In the fourth, a Raquel Rosa jumper made it 54-50 with 6:45 on the clock. Defense again came up big for the Scots as Robinson grabbed a steal and pushed the ball up where Smith found Hallmark for a layup to make it 60-55 with 4:01 left.
After Brevard sliced the lead to 60-57, a Monday jumper with 1:19 to go made it a five-point lead (62-57). Covenant then sealed the game at the free throw line and a Robinson jumper in the final seconds.
Rosa added seven points and three steals. Covenant shot 41.9 percent (26-of-62) from the field and 13-of-19 at the free throw line. The Scots had 21 steals on the night converted 24 points off Brevard's 30 turnovers.
Brevard (8-10, 4-8 USA South) received 21 points from Destiny Williams. Ty’She Washington had 18 points and Annalee Bollinger added 10, while Avery Lockwood grabbed 10 rebounds. Brevard connected on 37.9 percent (22-of-58) from the floor.
Covenant will host Wesleyan on Saturday at 1 p.m. inside Barnes PE Center.