On Wednesday night inside the Lambton College Athletics & Fitness Complex, the Lambton Lions women’s basketball team fell short in their comeback efforts against the fifth-ranked Fanshawe Falcons. The visitors spoiled #BellLetsTalk night for the host Lions, picking up the 72-61 win.
The loss brings an end to the four-game winning streak for the Lions, dropping their record to 9-5 on the season. Fanshawe improves to 13-1 with the win, their 10th in a row.
After a pair of 40-point losses to the Falcons from earlier in the season, one each in the regular season and exhibition play, the Lions came into Wednesday night looking to keep things close. Without the services of guard Ashleigh Pettit (concussion), the Lions showed their heart and determination for a full 40 minutes.
Fanshawe came out of the gates strong, but the Lions kept themselves within striking distance for the first five minutes. Hot shooting from the visitors helped push them to a 12-point lead after the first quarter, 23-11.
The second quarter was a different story. Lambton opened the frame on a 14-6 run, cutting the deficit down to just four points on several occasions. The Falcons overcame their slow start to stretch their lead back to seven points before the break, but the Lions gave themselves some momentum heading into the second half after outscoring the Falcons by a 19-14 margin.
Just like the first half, the second half followed a similar format. The Falcons used a big third quarter to stretch their lead to double figures once more, as Fanshawe outscored Lambton by a 23-10 margin. Lambton used a strong fourth quarter to make things interesting, using a 21-12 margin on the scoreboard to make things interesting.
The comeback efforts fell short in the end, as Fanshawe held on for the 11-point win over Lambton, 72-61.
Cassidy Crowe led all scorers on the night, posting 21 points on 8-of-18 shooting from the field. She added eight rebounds and seven steals. Breanna Pretty continued her strong freshman season, recording 11 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double.
Forward Natalie Warren led Fanshawe with 20 points to go along with seven rebounds. Alison Cotton had eight points and eight rebounds in the win.
The road to the playoffs doesn’t get any easier for the Lions, as each of their next four games come against teams who are currently in a playoff spot. The Lions head on the road on February 5th to complete their regular season series with the St. Clair Saints.
Tip off against the Saints is set for 6 p.m.