Trojan women drop shootout loss to Flying Fleet

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on December 4, 2014 1:51 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- The best characteristic about Wendy Lee's women's basketball team is probably its youthful exuberance.

The same trait could be considered its Achilles' Heel.

At least it was Wednesday night.

That youthful exuberance is what never allowed the University of Mount Olive to lay down and quit, but the lack of court experience and big-game moments proved crucial in a 92-87 loss to Conference Carolinas foe Erskine (S.C.) College.

With 4:26 remaining and the score tied 77-77, UMO lost one of its few veteran leaders, Ty Wallace, after she picked up her fifth foul. Erskine immediately went on an 8-0 run, but the Trojans never laid down.

Led by Arieal Johnson, UMO roared back and eventually cut the game to 90-87 with Erskine at the free throw line. Andrienne Bannerman missed both attempts and the Trojans attempted to grab the loose-ball rebound.

The Flying Fleet's Naomi Stuger wrestled the ball from the sophomore Johnson and got the ball to Kristin Giles, who was fouled and knocked down both free throws.

It was the second time in the final minutes that Stuger pulled down a board on a missed free throw over Johnson. To go along with those two missed opportunities, freshman Ni'ya Styles took two quick 3-pointers in the final minutes -- both were well off the mark -- when Lee thought the team would be better served to set up a play.

"I think with the lack of experience we kind of panicked in that situation," Lee said. "I really like how aggressive they played tonight, but late in that situation it might have cost us."

The Trojans' aggressive play led to Erskine shooting 22 of 36 at the free throw line. But that same style never transferred over to the offensive side for the Trojans.

After Erskine outscored the Trojans by 10 points in the paint in the first half, the Trojans made a concerted effort to get the ball into the post in the second half. They attacked the basket, but didn't get to the free throw line.

"I don't know what it is, why we're not getting to the line much," Lee said. "I think the only way we play well is if we play that aggressive, but we have to figure out why the other team is shooting so many free throws and we're not."

For the first time this season, the Trojans had five players in double figures. Styles led with 23 point and Johnson had 22 points and 13 boards. Leah Graham and Shylia Buie came off the bench to each score 12 points and Wallace chipped in 11.

The Trojans forced 21 turnovers, and outscored Erskine off the bench by 12 points.

But all of those positives still weren't enough.

"The game came down to those final five minutes," Lee said. "Those two offensive rebounds and quick threes stand out in my mind above anything else they did."