COLUMBIA, Ky.- The Blue Raider women's basketball team fell 73-69 to the University of Tennessee Southern, Saturday night on day two of the UC Bank Classic in Biggers Sports Center. 

Taylor Guess led the Blue Raider offense tallying her first double double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds alongside Saniyah Shelton who garnered her first double double on the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Meadow Tisdale found herself with nine points and eight rebounds to round out the LWU offense. 

Tisdale opened the Lindsey Wilson offense on a layup at 8:21 that was assisted by Amelia Hodges to even the score at 2-2. Both teams traded buckets up until Marypaz Martinez connected on a wide open layup for the Firehawks to extend the lead to 10-6, followed by a Ramie Reid three at 4:16 to grow the lead to 13-6. Tisdale and Natalie Gentry answered back with a layup and jumper, respectively, to bring the game back within a two possession game at 15-10 with 3:08 to play. Tennessee Southern closed the quarter on a 5-4 run to lead 20-14 headed into the second quarter.

The Firehawks struck first again in the second quarter at 9:46 on a bucket by Ashley Dickey with Shelton responding with a bucket of her own at 9:26 for a 22-16 score. At 8:17 a layup by Guess ignited a 14-6 run by Lindsey Wilson that was topped off at 5:19 on a three from Emma Barnett to hand the Blue Raiders a 30-29 lead. Reid was able to convert on an and-1 for the Firehawks to give them back a 32-30 advantage at 5:05.  Each team put up nine points apiece to end the quarter with UT Southern edging Lindsey Wilson 41-39 headed into the half. 

With 9:06 to play in the third, Tisdale pulled an offensive board and got fouled on the putback, sending her to the line where she knocked down a free throw to cut the lead to 41-40. The Firehawks answered back with a 4-0 run to push the lead back to 45-40 with 8:18 on the clock. At 6:51, Shelton connected on a layup that began a 10-0 run that lasted till 5:40 giving the Blue Raiders a 50-45 advantage. Lindsey Wilson ended the quarter on a 9-7 run, taking a 59-55 lead headed into the final ten minutes of action. 

Jarie Thomas spotted up in the corner and connected on a shot from behind the arc at 9:37 on an assist from Hodges the first possession of the fourth quarter, giving LWU their largest lead of the night at 62-55. Tennessee Southern took a defensive stance, holding the Blue Raiders to just seven more points in the fourth, while putting up 18 of their own to defeat Lindsey Wilson 73-69. 

Women's hoops will be back in action on Tuesday at 5:30 in Biggers Sports Center to face the Knights of Kentucky Christian University.