Mary Baldwin Women's Basketball hosted the Methodist Monarchs on Friday night but came up short, falling 68–56.

The opening quarter featured a physical battle in the paint, with the two teams combining for just one made three-pointer. Both sides were active on the glass, grabbing 12 rebounds apiece, but an early six-point run helped Methodist edge ahead and take a one-point lead after the first.

Methodist continued to attack inside in the second quarter, scoring 10 points in the paint, while Mary Baldwin struggled to convert close-range opportunities, managing just four points near the basket. The Monarchs carried a narrow 28–26 advantage into halftime, led by Kayleen Grullon with eight points and Jada Richardson with seven.

Mary Baldwin stayed within striking distance with balanced scoring. Senior Davyne Johnson and freshman Lanie Bethel each contributed five points, while freshmen Taylor Urick and Malia Bullock added four apiece in the opening half.

The Monarchs took control in the third quarter, limiting the Fighting Squirrels to just 10 points. Methodist leaned into its interior success, scoring 20 of its 22 points in the period from inside the three-point line. Mary Baldwin struggled to regain rhythm after the break, shooting 26 percent from the field in the quarter.

The Fighting Squirrels closed strong in the fourth, outscoring Methodist 20–18. Bethel caught fire from beyond the arc, knocking down three of her four three-point attempts, including multiple pull-up jumpers that energized the home crowd.

After the game, Head Coach Bradley Rideout praised his team's resilience. "They never quit," Rideout said. "I thought they responded well to adversity, and I'm proud of them."

Mary Baldwin will return home on Wednesday, January 28, for its final meeting of the season against Greensboro College. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m.
 
Notes:

• Leading Scorers:
  • MBU:
    • Lanie Bethel-18
    • Davyne Johnson-11
  • MU:
    • Jada Richardson-25
    • Taylor Watford-13
    • Kayleen Grullon-11
• Leading Rebounders
  • MBU:
    • Taylor Urick-5
  • MU:
    • Jada Richardson-9
    • Kayleen Grullon-9
• Turnovers
  • MBU: 13
  • MU: 24
• Points off Turnovers
  • MBU: 21
  • MU: 13
• Points in the Paint
  • MBU: 40
  • MU: 22