By: Jake Miller

GREENVILLE, TENN.- Coker women's basketball could not complete the comeback and dropped its South Atlantic Conference contest to Tusculum 59-50 on Saturday (Dec. 17).

The Cobras trailed 22-8 after one quarter and 34-22 at the half. Coker fought back in the second quarter to win the frame 14-12 and go in facing a manageable deficit.

The Cobras chipped into the deficit in the third, getting as close as eight thanks to a pair of jump shots from Trai Johnson and Kendra Lambert with about four minutes left in the frame. The Cobras would get within eight later in the quarter, and then as close as six after Terrika Foster sunk a pair of free throws with under a minute remaining. In total, Coker won the frame 16-11.

The Cobras went to the final frame trailing by seven, with the score at 45-38. Sydney Shull started off the frame with a steal and breakaway layup to cut the deficit to five. Iresha Cooper followed it up with a bucket of her own and Coker all of a sudden trailed by just three. A pair of Tusculum free throws got the game back to two possessions before a Lambert three-pointer got it back down to a three-point game. The teams traded buckets for the final few minutes, but Tusculum was able to maintain at least a one-possession lead for the remainder of the game.

Kendra Lambert led the Navy and Gold scoring 13 points, while Trai Johnson added 10. As a team, Coker out-rebounded Tusculum 47-32 and outscored the Pioneers off the bench by 21, on second chances by two and in the paint by 10.

The Cobras will play their last game before winter break on Monday (Dec. 19) when they host Belmont Abbey for a 2:00 pm matinee contest.  Tip-off is slated for 2:00 p.m. at the DeLoach Center. Admission will not be charged for the game.