Basketball Women Come Up Short at Rotary Classic

JACKSON, Tenn. – After opening the season with five straight wins, the USAO women’s basketball team succumbed to its toughest competition of the season. The Drovers lost three games last weekend during the Jackson Rotary Classic.

On Saturday, USAO fell 78-61 to No. 6-ranked Freed-Hardeman, Tenn., and lost 58-54 to Lambuth, Tenn., on Friday. The Drovers also suffered an 84-56 setback to No. 4 Union, Tenn., in the opening game on Thursday. USAO drops to 5-3 overall, and travels to Tabor, Kan., College on Saturday for a 4 p.m. game.

Against Freed-Hardeman Saturday, USAO managed just under 30 percent from the field in the first half and trailed 38-26 at haltime. The Drovers improved a bit to 34 percent from the field, including 6-of-17 from 3-point range, in the second half, but could not make up the difference in the 78-61 loss.

Senior Christal Merriweather led three Drovers in double figures with 18 points, six rebounds and a game-high six assists. Junior Katie Sterling finished with 13 points, six rebounds and three assists. Merriweather and Sterling have scored in double figures in all eight games of the season.

Senior Karole Roberts was the other Drover in double figures with 11 points and five rebounds. Junior Nicole Sherman finished with a career-high 12 rebounds and five points for USAO.

On Friday, USAO was just 1-of-6 from 3-point range and 57 percent from the free throw line to trail 33-23 at halftime. The Drovers improved to hit all eight free throw attempts and 37 percent from the field in the second half but lost 58-54 to Lambuth, Tenn.

Sterling, Merriweather and Roberts each scored in double figures again, as Sterling paced the Drovers with 17 points and five rebounds. Roberts finished with 14 points and four rebounds, while Merriweather added 12 points and a game-high eight rebounds.

On Thursday, USAO fell 84-56 to the host-team, No. 4 Union, Tenn. Sterling led the Drovers with 25 points to go along with six rebounds. Merriweather added 15 points and team-highs of eight rebounds and six assists.