LEBANON, Tenn.- Women's basketball took to the road defeating the Phoenix of Cumberland University (Tenn.) 70-63 in the Dallas Floyd Phoenix Arena. 

Leading the offensive brigade for the Blue Raiders was Claire Fleming posting a 16 point outing on 12-14 shooting from the freethrow line, with six rebounds and three assists. Jarie Thomas, Taylor Guess, and Saniyah Shelton round out the double digit scoring for the Blue Raiders with 15, 14, and 10 respectively. Shelton also led in rebounding with seven and assists with five. 

Less than a minute into the game, Guess connects on a three pointer to put Lindsey Wilson up 3-2 with 9:02 to play. After trading back and forth baskets, the Blue Raiders went on an 8-0 run that lasted 2:10 with baskets from Shelton, Natalie Gentry, and Isabel Garcia, giving Lindsey Wilson the 15-10 advantage with 2:10 to play. The Phoenix ended the quarter on a 5-0 run with a three pointer from Kayla Gordon at 1:18 and a layup from Jordan Harris with 0:18 on the clock, tying the score 15-15 after the first ten minutes of action. 

Shelton found Thomas with a lead pass, opening up the second quarter scoring and taking a 17-15 lead with 8:35 to play before the half. Ever Walker answered 24 seconds later after connecting on a three assisted by Faith Colston, giving Cumberland an 18-17 advantage. At 7:42, Emily Cox went on a 4-0 run herself after converting on a contested layup assisted by Shelton, and making her way to the freethrow line a possession later knocking down both freebies with 7:21 and extending the Blue Raider lead to 21-18. Baskets were traded between the programs, with both teams adding ten points to their totals before the half, with Lindsey Wilson taking a 31-28 edge headed into the locker room. 

46 seconds into the second half, Guess found her stroke and found the bottom on a mid-range pull-up, putting the Blue Raiders up 33-28. With 8:12 on the clock, Mariyah Person knocked down a three from the top of the key, giving Colston her third assist of the game and tying the game back at 34-34. Guess answered back with a three of her own, assisted by Cox with 6:55 to play, giving the Blue Raiders a 37-34 lead. At 6:37, Lindsey Wilson went on a 6-0 run that lasted 1:22 on buckets from Gentry and Fleming extending the lead to 43-36. Emaleigh Tarpley ended the Blue Raider run with a three on an assist from Gordon cutting the lead back to 43-39 with 5:03 to play. With a two minute drought affecting both teams, Fleming breaks the dry spell at 2:03 and connects on a jumper assisted by Grace Brewer extending the lead to 47-39. Fleming converted on two free throws with 0:14 on the clock to send the Blue Raiders into the final ten minutes of action leading 49-42. 

Fleming found her way back to the freethrow line to start the fourth, converting on two free throws with 9:13 to play followed by a three from Guess assisted by Shelton giving Shelton her fifth assist of the game and a 54-42 lead with 8:23 on the clock. Cumberland started the quarter 0-4 with the first bucket coming at 6:27 from Gordon for three on an assist from Colston, cutting the lead back down to single digits at 54-45. With 0:51 on the clock, the Phoenix cut the game to 68-60 on a three from Maddie Brillhart. Lindsey Wilson would go on to win 70-63. 

Women's Basketball will end the regular season 16-12 and 3-9 in Mid-South Conference play. 

The Blue Raider women's basketball team will be back in action for the Mid-South Conference Tournament March 1-4 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The tournament bracket will be released later on Saturday.