The Covenant women's basketball team took on Principia on day two of Mountaintop Madness looking for its second win in as many days to begin the year. The Scots dealt with and responded to a lot of adversity across 40 minutes, but it was ultimately the Panthers who came out on top by five points.
The Scots took a five-point lead at 11-6 as Breezy Savage knocked down a triple after an inside basket from Amanda Neff. Covenant went on a 6-0 run and were suddenly up by double-digits at 17-7. The Panthers answered the Scots as they trailed just 24-19 after 10 minutes.
Hannah Eidson scored just 14 seconds into the 2nd period on a fast break after a steal by Neff.
A 3-pointer by Neff and a transition layup from Savage put the Scots up 12 with 5:12 remaining.
Covenant went cold offensively in the final five minutes as Principia went on a 15-0 run to go into the locker room up 36-33.
The Scots scoring drought ended with 6:44 remaining with a made free throw by Savage as they now trailed 41-34. An Ora Hall 3-pointer cut the lead to one point as Covenant kept scraping away with multiple starters in foul trouble. Faith Wasden earned some minutes and went coast-to-coast in the final minute as Covenant trailed 55-52 going into the fourth quarter.
Covenant took back the lead at 57-55 as Amanda Neff capped off a quick 5-0 run to start the quarter with a made layup. The Scots kept a two-point lead with 2:24 remaining after another fast break basket from Wasden. With the score tied and less than a minute left in the game, Principia scored the final five points, all at the free-throw line.
Covenant moves to 0-2 all-time against Principia. Neff flirted with a double-double, posting 15 points and eight rebounds. Savage was also in double-figures as she had 14 points.
Covenant was 41.1% (23-56) from the field and 25% (6-24) shooting 3-pointers while Principia was 27.6% (21-76) and 14.3% (2-14) in the categories. Turnovers were a huge part of the game as Covenant turned it over 35 times. Foul count was 34-21, Covenant, as it had four starters foul out of the game.
Covenant hosts Sewanee on Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m-
SEWANEE MEN 122 COVENANT 94 After losing a close game the night before, Covenant had to try and bounce back against SAA opponent, Sewanee, the next day. The Scots struggled to stop the Tigers' offensive attack as they fell 122-94 in the first of two meetings this year.
The two teams went blow-for-blow in the first four minutes as a layup from Korbin Long in transition made it 10-10. Covenant and Sewanee still were neck-and-neck as a 3-pointer by Logan Patterson gave his team a 18-17 advantage. With 8:42 remaining, Jake Stephens tied the game again at 24 with a good jumper.
Sewanee started to gain some separation as it led 32-27 after a quick 5-0 run. The Tigers kept their foot on the petal scoring 13 of the next 17 points in the game to go up double-digits at 45-31. A late foul on a 3-point attempt as the buzzer sounded led to three more points for the Tigers as they went into the locker room ahead 59-40.
Sewanee avoided letting Covenant come out of the half with new energy as a fast break layup put it ahead 75-52 at the first media timeout. For every shot Covenant made, Sewanee had a response as an 8-0 run put it in front 92-62. The Tigers reached triple digits with 7:10 remaining after a pair of free throws. Covenant didn't quit as a 9-2 run capped off by a triple from Stephens made it 102-80. Fisher Mitchell followed up a fast break layup with a 3-pointer with 3:03 remaining. Zach Wescher scored his first career college points in the final minute.
Covenant moves to 13-24 all-time against Sewanee. Luuk Dusek led Covenant with a career-high 18 points with four 3-pointers. Long also had a career-high in points with 10 in the defeat. Pierce Smith tallied seven points with four rebounds and four blocks. Covenant shot 38.1% (37-97) from the field and 23.7% (9-38) from three while Sewanee was 53.2% (42-79) and 30.8% (4-13) in the same categories. Sewanee had 29 assists while Covenant had 14.