Women's Basketball Outruns Brenau

GAINESVILLE, Ga.- The women's basketball team left their game against the Brenau University Golden Tigers with a win on Wednesday. The team won the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) 66-62.

Tennessee Wesleyan wasted no time asserting themselves, jumping out to an early lead behind the aggressive play of Anna Crowder. After Brenau opened the scoring, Crowder responded with a layup and a free throw to give the Bulldogs their first points. Jaci Powell and Jacelyn Stone added to the offensive momentum with timely baskets, while Courtney Farr drained a three-pointer to extend the lead. Wesleyan's defensive pressure limited Brenau's opportunities, allowing them to close the first quarter up 21-14.

Brenau attempted to close the gap, but Wesleyan's well-balanced attack kept them at bay. Powell knocked down a key three-pointer, and Sierra Bates added consecutive layups to maintain the Bulldogs' advantage. Anna Crowder continued her impact on both ends, grabbing rebounds and facilitating offensive plays. Despite a late push from Brenau, Wesleyan went into halftime leading 39-29, thanks to a last-second layup by Bates.

The game slowed down in the third quarter, with both teams tightening up defensively. Brenau cut the lead to single digits, but Wesleyan responded with a clutch layup from Crowder and a defensive stop from Powell. The Bulldogs struggled to find their offensive rhythm, scoring just 10 points in the quarter, yet they held a slim 49-40 lead heading into the final period.

Brenau made a furious comeback attempt in the final frame, fueled by strong three-point shooting and aggressive drives to the basket. Wesleyan's composure was tested as Brenau closed within two points with just over a minute left. However, Jacelyn Stone delivered in the clutch, scoring a crucial layup off an assist from Crowder to push the lead back to four. The Bulldogs' defense stood firm in the closing moments, forcing a late turnover that sealed the victory.

Crowder finished with a career-high 25 points in the win. Stone added 11 points while Bates had 10 points. 

A return to their home court occurs on Saturday for TWU (11-9, 8-7 AAC) against St. Andrews University. The conference game is set for 12:00 p.m.