Grenadiers Upset Asbury Women's Basketball
WILMORE, Ky. – Asbury women’s basketball lost out on their chance for back-to-back KIAC titles with a 92-85 loss to Indiana Southeast on Saturday night and now fall down to the third seed in the upcoming tournament. The Eagles could have tied Point Park for the regular season title if they won their final two games.
Asbury (20-9, 9-5 KIAC) led by double-digits for nearly six minutes and held a 47-35 lead at halftime. Trenia Barbee scored 20 of her game-high 38 in the first half, connecting on four three-pointers before the break. She finished 6-of-13 from beyond the arc and 14-of-35 in the game. Her 35 field goal attempts are a career-high, topping her 28 earlier this season. That number also ties the KIAC-high on the season with Alice Lloyd’s Carla Booth.
The Eagles struggled from the floor all night long, shooting just 35-percent overall and 30-percent from beyond the arc. That poor shooting didn’t matter early as the Eagles grabbed 19 offensive rebounds in the first half. The misses just added up as Indiana Southeast heated up in the second half, shooting 60-percent from the floor after halftime. The Grenadiers were led by Heather Wheat’s 29 points including a 14-of-17 mark from the free throw line.
Despite giving up 27 offensive rebounds the Grenadiers matched the Eagles with 46 total rebounds. Indiana Southeast (15-12, 7-7 KIAC) had three other players in double figures on the day in addition to Wheat as Ashmere Woods added 18 points. Andrea Owen and Tionna Peters each had 12 points. Asbury’s Lakin Griffith added 12 points and 10 rebounds and Laura Carroll scored 10 points.
These two teams could potentially meet in the KIAC Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday back in Wilmore. The Eagles will finish third, behind Point Park who is the outright champion and Alice Lloyd. With a win on Tuesday Asbury will finish in a tie with ALC but ALC holds the tiebreaker by winning both meetings against Point Park earlier this season.
The 4-5-6 seeds will be determined after Tuesday’s games. Berea has wrapped up league play at 8-7, IUS and Brescia will play Tuesday and both are currently 7-7. The loser will head to Asbury. Midway is the 7 seed and will play Alice Lloyd regardless of the result of Midway-Asbury. Carlow will stay in Pittsburgh to play Point Park. The semi-finals and finals will be held at Indiana Southeast on February 25-26.
Asbury will honor their five seniors on Tuesday before their meeting with Midway at 6 pm. Asbury defeated Midway back in December 103-78 as Barbee scored a school-record 43 points.
