The (RV) Women's Basketball had its seven-game winning streak snapped with an 80-75 loss at home to the Evangel Crusaders Wednesday night.
The Ravens held a 4-point lead at halftime, but Evangel took a 48-46 lead early in the third quarter. After Ali Brzozowski's basket to even the score, Sam Brennan went to work for the Ravens, turning defense into offense. She picked off a Crusaders pass and took it to the hole for a bucket. On Evangel's next possession, Brennan repeated the feat, stealing another pass and going all the way for another layup to put the Lady Ravens up 52-48.
Evangel's Lexie Vaught later sank a pair of free throws to put the Crusaders back up and the visitor's held a 1-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
The final frame belonged to the Crusaders as the Ravens fell behind by as many as 10 points. Late baskets by LaRanda Thomas and Rylee Neill weren't enough to make up the difference as Evangel was strong from the free throw line down the stretch. Vaught finished with a game-high 25 points as the Crusaders shot 46.8 percent from the field in the game. Evangel also had 38 rebounds, including 11 offensive boards.
For the Ravens, Thomas led the way with 12 points while Natalie Smaron added 11 and Grace Brzozowski and Kayla Staley each recorded 10 points. Brennan finished with 6 points and four steals. The Ravens grabbed seven fewer rebounds than the Crusaders.
After Evangel took a 22-18 lead following one quarter of action, the Ravens deficit grew to as many as 9 points four minutes into the second quarter. That's when the Ravens went on an 8-0 run, forcing an Evangel timeout. Down 31-22, the Ravens went on a 10-0 run – capped off by a steal and fast-break layup by Brennan – to go up 32-31.
The Crusaders answered with a bucket on the other end, but the Lady Ravens quickly took the lead again, this time on an inside bucket by Staley. Over the final six minutes of the second quarter, the Lady Ravens out-scored Evangel 19-6 to take a 41-37 lead at halftime.
The home squad was hot from the floor in the first half, shooting 54.5 percent from the field, picking up 11 assists on 18 made baskets. The Crusaders shot 48.4 percent from the floor in the first half.
Benedictine (18-9, 13-8 Heart) will try to start a new winning streak when they take on Culver-Stockton College Saturday, Feb. 16 in Canton, Mo.
