NEW ORLEANS, La. (Women's Basketball) – Despite scoring at a clip of 47.9 percent and 25 points from NAIA scoring lead Ali Zieverink (SR/West Chester, Ohio), the Shawnee State women's basketball team saw a 10-point lead disappear over the final 11:49 of a 74-70 defeat at the hands of Xavier University of Louisiana on Thursday at the Xavier Classic.
The loss was the first for the No. 16-ranked Bears (7-1), who committed 24 turnovers in the contest, compared to just 10 from the No. 21 Gold Nuggets (5-2). SSU limited the home squad to just 35.7 percent shooting in the game.
Shawnee State led for almost the entirety of the first period and – despite trailing by as many as four points in the second – used a 7-2 spurt at the end of the half to head into the locker room with a 36-33 advantage.
Out of the break, the Bears sprinted out to a 10-point advantage with 1:49 to play in the third, leading 50-40 following a pair of free throws from Abby Feuchter (SR/Cincinnati, Ohio). With six assists in the contest, Feuchter became the third player in SSU history to eclipse 500 dimes in a career. She is now just 62 assists away from the program record, set by Tiffany Clayton between 1991-95.
Xavier would follow with an 8-0 run on the back of five points from Donyeah Mayfield – who tied for the game-high with 25 points – to cut into the deficit, making it a 50-48 game headed to the fourth.
Shawnee State pushed the lead back up to as many as seven in the fourth, but another run from the Gold Nuggets – capped with back-to-back buckets from Joi Smmons – gave the home squad the lead with 5:33 remaining.
The two squads traded baskets over the final minutes, switching leads on five separate occasions while drawing even twice. A basket from Simmons to make it 71-70 would be the final lead change of the night with 1:17 remaining.
Shawnee State would not score again, while XU came up with three free throws to put the game on ice.
Along with Zieverink's 25 points, Madison Ridout (SO/Jackson, Ohio) and Feuchter each finished in double figures scoring with 15 and 10, respectively. Zieverink also garnered a team high nine caroms, while Ridout grabbed nine.
The Bears shot just 3-of-15 from three point range and connected on 15-of-21 free throws.
SSU is back in action Friday afternoon for their final matchup of the Xavier Classic, squaring off against Dillard University at 1 p.m. CT.
