Box Score THOMASVILLE, Ga. – After a seesaw second half, Southeastern women's basketball was handed its third Sun Conference loss by the Thomas Night Hawks this evening, 74-60. With the loss Southeastern moves to 20-5 overall and 11-3 in the league.
The Fire scored first and owned the first 20 minutes, but they relinquished the lead for the first time at the 7:03 mark of the third quarter, down 39-38. Thomas' largest lead of the quarter came with their next score, a long ball from Tess Wright, but
Bailey Hooker answered from the same spot to put the Fire back within one.
Hooker's second 3-pointer of the quarter put the Fire up by four, 48-44, at the 2:55 mark. She scored 10 of her 16 total points in the third quarter, but five straight Night Hawks' points before the buzzer put them up 49-48 after 30 minutes.
The Fire took a one point lead twice more in the first minute and a half of the fourth, but when the Night Hawks took over by two, 54-52 at the 8:28 mark, it was for good. Their largest lead was by nine with 5:25 to play. The Fire narrowed it to two again with 2:33 left, down 65-63, but a 5-1 Night Hawks run was the finale.
Christin Strawbridge led the Fire with 17 points and seven boards. Hookers' 16 points were good for second on the team and she claimed four of the Fire's nine total long balls.
Carlie Newman was also a double figure contributor with 12 points including a 4-for-4 effort from the line.
Collectively the Fire were 37% from the field, 39% from beyond the arc, and were outrebounded by the Night Hawks 36-24.
On the flip side, Thomas was an impressive 54% from the field and 57% from long range. Senior Bria Joyner-Williams led all scorers with 18 points.
The Fire are back in action on Saturday against Webber International University. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
