The Motlow State Lady Bucks will try to get back into the win column when they step outside TCCAA conference play to host Wallace State-Hanceville at Copperweld Arena on Thursday. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Motlow will then host TCCAA rival Volunteer State on Saturday, with the women tipping off at 4 p.m.
The Lady Bucks (3-11, 0-7) came very close to pulling out two conference wins over the weekend but came up short in both efforts. Friday night, Motlow came from 18 points down and tied the game with 24 seconds remaining before falling 73-72 to Dyersburg State. Saturday the Lady Bucks dropped a 75-67 decision to visiting Southwest Tennessee at Copperweld Arena.
The visiting Lady Eagles from Dyersburg started strong Friday night, jumping out to an 18-12 lead after one quarter and a 38-22 lead at the half. Motlow freshman Janna Lewis led the comeback effort in the third quarter though, pulling the Lady Bucks within four points before Dyersburg surged back ahead 51-42 after three.
Still the Lady Bucks refused to fold. Miranda Boutwell hit one of her three 3-pointers to cut the deficit to 54-45 with nine minutes to play. Tajah Clark nailed a three with seven minutes remaining and Motlow trailed 56-53. The visitors then surged back ahead, leading 64-57 with five minutes showing on the clock.
Back came the Lady Bucks on a 10-5 run, led by another three pointer from Boutwell, to trail 69-67 with 48 seconds remaining. Lewis then went to the line and tied the game with two free throws at the 24 second mark, but the Lady Bucks couldn’t get the stop they needed on the defensive end and Dyersburg State escaped with the victory.
Lewis led four double-digit scorers with 16 points and added 10 rebounds. Boutwell scored 14 points, while Brianna Jones and Jewel Ledbetter each had 13 points. Ledbetter added seven rebounds and three steals, while Jones pulled down six boards. Clark scored eight points and dished out five assists with two steals.
Saturday was another close contest that saw the Lady Bucks fall behind early, then fight their way back to challenge the opposition before falling just short at the end. Southwest jumped out front 21-20 after one quarter and 40-32 at the half before the Lady Bucks staged their comeback attempt.
Boutwell, who had a career-high 25 points, nailed a three pointer and Joy Porter hit back-to-back baskets to cut the Southwest Tennessee lead to 49-44. Ledbetter then nailed a jumper and the third quarter ended with Motlow down only 53-50.
After Boutwell drove for a layup to cut the lead to three, Lewis grabbed a steal and scored, putting Motlow within a point at 62-61 with four minutes to play. However, that would be as close as the Lady Bucks would get as the Lady Saluqis pulled away in the final two minutes.
Boutwell connected on 9-16 shots from the field and hit 4-10 three pointers. Lewis had another double-double, scoring 18 points and hauling in 13 rebounds along with three steals. Clark scored eight and had six rebounds, four steals and three assists, while Ledbetter and Porter each scored six points, with Porter adding six rebounds and two steals.
