Mary Baldwin senior A'Cetta "Ace" Farrait poured in a game-high 20 points and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds to lead the Fighting Squirrels to a 55-51 non-conference women's basketball victory Saturday at Hood College in Frederick, Md.
In addition to evening the team's record at 1-1, the triumph was the first under new coach DeEarnest McLemore, whose shirt was soaked after the team's brief post-game victory celebration. Â
Despite foul trouble throughout the contest, freshman point guard Aryanna Brent also chipped in 10 points for the winners while senior
Codie Heilig added eight points and six rebounds. Junior
Imari Knight matched Farrait for team-high rebounding honors with seven,
The host Blazers (0-2) finished with three players in double figures, led by Na'Vaye Quarles with 16 points and six steals.
MBU led 17-13 after the first 10 minutes and 28-26 at the halftime break. Farrait had 13 points in the opening 20 minutes, and the Blazers clawed within two at the break on a buzzer-beating three-point goal from the wing by Quarles.
Hood was strong in the third quarter, eventually building an 11-point lead (43-32) with three minutes left in the frame. That's when MBU's offense ignited with a 9-2 run to end the quarter. Farrait hit two free throws in the final seconds to cut MBU's deficit to 45-41 entering the fourth quarter.
Brent and Farrait each scored six points as the visitors outscored the hosts 14-6 in the fourth quarter. Brent's three-point goal with 5:22 left proved to be the game-winning shot, giving the Fighting Squirrels a 52-49 lead. Both defenses played strong down the stretch, and two free throws by Brent with less than a second on the clock clinched the four-point win.
The Fighting Squirrels' celebration has to be quick as they return to action Sunday with a 2 p.m. tip off against Hollins on Alumnae Day at the MBU PAC.
