The women's basketball team faces the challenge of back-to-back USA South games this weekend. The Panthers (10-6, 5-2 USA South) start tonight at Brevard (8-4, 3-1 USA South) and travel to Piedmont (10-3, 4-1 USA South) on Saturday.
The Panthers have won their last two games over Agnes Scott and Covenant by a total of 57 points since an 88-82 home loss to Brevard on Jan. 8. Senior Megan English led the 68-42 win against Covenant on Tuesday in Mariotti Gym with a career high 13 points, shooting 3-for-3 on 3s. Juniors Gracie Brunel and Breonna Glover had 12 points each. Brunel is fourth in the USA South in scoring, averaging 17.3 points per game. Glover is third in the conference with a 57.9 shooting percentage. Senior Jalaya Lewis averages 13.5 points per game.
Brevard defeated Warren Wilson 53-45 in a non-conference game Tuesday. Lexi Shepard paced the Tornados with 13 points. Graduate student Destiny Williams is third in the conference in scoring, averaging 17.6 points per game. Sophomore Mackenna Perkins is second on the team with a 10.6 points per game average.
The Tornadoes have won the last two meetings and lead the series 5-3 and are 2-1 in their own Boshamer Gymnasium. The Panthers won 61-47 in 2019 in their last trip to Brevard.
Piedmont has won four straight games since a 64-62 home loss to Berea back on Dec. 11. The Lady Lions shut down Wesleyan 66-20 on the road Tuesday. Piedmont blanked Wesleyan 22-0 in the second quarter. Bentley Cronic led Piedmont with 11 points, as 12 players out of 13 got in the scoring column. Senior Livia Skinner leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.2 points per game. Senior Clair Varney is averaging 12.8 points per game and junior Nakivah Washington 12.6. The game will feature two of the top scoring teams in the conference. LaGrange is averaging 72.7 points per game and Piedmont 70.4.
The Lady Lions lead the series 38-12 and have won seven straight games. LC's last win came in 2017, 70-59 in Mariotti Gym.
The Panthers play at Wesleyan on Feb. 1. They will host Maryville and Berea in Mariotti Gym on Feb. 5-6.
For continuing coverage of Panther athletics, stay up to date with our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
