RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The Southern Utah women's basketball team played in their first road game of the 2018-19 season Thursday night against UC Riverside. The Thunderbirds led for most of the game, but couldn't hold off a fourth quarter charge from the Highlanders, losing 50-56.
Things started slow for the Lady T-Birds as it took them nearly three minutes to get on the board in the first quarter. Breanu Reid scored the first points on a three-point shot to make it 3-4 UCR. The Highlanders would extend their lead to as much as nine points in the first quarter, but the T-Birds were able to close the quarter on a three-point run to make it 10-16 after one.
Southern Utah was able to turn the tables in the second quarter as they began to heat up from the field. They closed the gap quickly and were able to take their first lead of the game on a Hannah Robins three-pointer to make it 17-16 SUU. The two teams traded baskets and leads the rest of the way through the first half until Peyton Shepherd nailed a three-pointer of her own with 36 seconds left in the half to give the Thunderbirds a 26-23 lead at halftime.
The Thunderbirds were able to keep up the pace in the third quarter outscoring the Highlanders 15-12. The Highlanders were able to get within two points early on, but Southern Utah kept putting away baskets, extending their lead to six by the end of the quarter.
Robins opened the fourth quarter with a layup to put SUU up 43-35. After a quick basket by the Highlanders, Shepherd gave the Thunderbirds their biggest lead of the game with her second three-point bucket of the night to make it 46-37 with 7:53 left to play. However, the Lady T-Birds would only score on two more possessions after that and UC Riverside would catch fire, going on a 19-4 run. They took a 51-50 lead with 2:18 remaining in the game and would add five more points before the end to make it the final score of 56-50.
Reid was the leading scorer for the Thunderbirds, dropping in 12 points and pulling in five rebounds. Harley Hansen was the only other T-Bird in double-digit scoring with 10 points. Robins and Rebecca Cardenas each had 11 rebounds and Robins was one point shy of her first career double-double with nine points
The Thunderbirds were able to hold the Highlanders to just 1-for-17 from three-point range.
Southern Utah will return to Southern California for their next game on Tuesday, November 20 against UC Irvine.
Tickets
Tickets for the Lady T-Birds' next home game against BYU on November 27 are available at tbirdtickets.com or the America First Event Center Ticket Office. Fans can also purchase a Women's Sports Pass for access to all 2018-19 home games.
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Stay up to date during the 2018-19 Lady T-Bird Basketball season by following @SUUWBasketball on Twitter and Instagram and liking the Southern Utah Women's Basketball page on Facebook.
