The Mary Baldwin women's basketball team was facing a nine-point deficit with less than six minutes to play Thursday at St. Mary's (Md.), but rallied to even the score in the final minute before finishing with a 66-64 non-conference loss to the Seahawks.  

Senior Codie Heilig and freshman Aryauna Brent shared team-high scoring honors with 16 points, followed closely by senior A'Cetta Farrait with 15 scores.  Junior Imari Knight fell one point short of a double double, contributing nine scores and a game-high 12 rebounds.

Samantha Blaylock paced the hosts with 23 points, including five three-point goals.  

MBU actually outscored the Seahawks in three of the four quarters.  The Fighting Squirrels built an eight point lead (19-11) late in the first quarter on a Brent three-point goal.  In the second quarter, the lead reached double digits twice before finishing the half with a 34-26 lead.

SMC bounced back in the third quarter, outscoring the visitors 23-12 in the third quarter and taking the lead into the fourth quarter.  Down the stretch, MBU rallied to tie the game with 42 seconds left on two Heilig free throws.  Blaylock gave St. Mary's the lead with a layup with 24 seconds left, and MBU was unable to convert on two possessions before the final horn sounded.

The Fighting Squirrels play their final game before the holiday break Saturday at the PAC in Staunton, facing Wilson at 2 p.m.  During the break, MBU will play a New Year's Eve game at Randolph (2 p.m.), then start play in 2024 with a Jan. 3 USA South Conference game at Brevard.