COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Sacred Heart Women’s Basketball team showed tremendous fight on Wednesday night but came up short against the Presbyterian Blue Hose by a final score of 49-42 at Colonial Life Arena.
In a low-scoring First Four game, both No. 16 seeds played for the right to challenge No. 1 overall seed South Carolina Gamecocks on Friday. The Sacred Heart Pioneers trailed the Blue Hose early, facing a 29-17 deficit at halftime.
Momentum shifted in the second half, as the Pioneers nearly matched their first half output in the third quarter alone, outscoring Presbyterian 13-6 in the frame. They pulled to within three points of the Blue Hose late in the quarter but would fail to get closer.
The teams exchanged baskets for most of the fourth quarter, as Presbyterian extended their lead to seven with 6:05 left in the game. Sacred Heart used one final rally to pull within three again, bringing the score to 43-40 with just over two minutes two go.
Presbyterian extended its lead to 45-40 with just over a minute left to play, and Sacred Heart got within three once more with just under 30 seconds to go, bringing the score to 45-42. From there the Blue Hose would ice the game from the free throw line en route to a seven-point victory.
Presbyterian was led by junior guard Mara Neira, who scored 14 points in the contest, shooting four for eight from the field. She was perfect from the free throw line, going five for five.
Sophomore guard Ny’Ceara Pryor led Sacred Heart in scoring, with 12 points, but had a miserable night from the field, connecting on only three of her 19 field goal attempts. On the season, Pryor averaged 18.9 points per game.
Next up for Presbyterian, the Big South Conference Tournament champions, is South Carolina on Friday at 2 p.m. Sacred Heart, champions of the Northeast Conference Tournament, heads home for the summer after losing its first game since Jan. 15.
Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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