Wise, VA.-- Blaikley Crooks career-high 34 points were not enough as the Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Basketball team fell 80-77 on the road at UVA-Wise in the 2022-23 regular season finale. The Bears will now turn their attention to the post season as the Bears will travel to Tusculum on Wednesday for the SAC Quarterfinals. 

GAME INFORMATION:
Final:  UVA-Wise 80, Lenoir-Rhyne 77
Records: UVA Wise (16-13, 7-11 SAC) Lenoir-Rhyne (21-7, 11-7 SAC) 
Location: Wise, VA. | David J. Prior Convocation Center

STATS AND INFO:

• The Bears came in fourth in the NCAA regional rankings this week behind Catawba, Wingate and Georgia Southwestern. 
• Both games this week finished with the same 80-77 score as the Bears fell at Carson-Newman on Monday by the same score. 
• LR has dropped five straight games against the Cavs. 
• Crooks went over the 400 points mark for this season and the junior went over 700 career points 
• Crooks also averaged 20.1 points in the eight games this February. 
• To top it off, Crooks is the first Bears to score 30+ plus points in a game since Emily Harman scored 39 against Anderson on December 15, 2021.

FIRST HALF:

• Crooks scored 12 of the Bears 20 first quarter points as LR led 20-14 after the first quarter.
• Both teams shot 40% from the floor in the first quarter but eight turnovers by the Cavs led to eight more shots for the Bears.
• After watching the Cavs go on an 11-0 run to take a seven point lead, the Bears responded with a 7-0 run of their own as the Bears took a 41-40 edge into the break. 
• Crooks scored 22 in the first half for her fifth 20-point performance of the year. 

SECOND HALF:

• Nia Vanzant scored 14 points for Wise in the third quarter as the Cavs hit 11 of 14 from the floor (78%) to open a 65-54 lead heading into the final quarter. 
• An 8-2 run led by six points from Brandi Hudson cut the lead to 67-62 with 6:20 left.
• After the Cavs reopened a nine point lead, Harman scored six straight then Crooks hit 4-4 from the free throw line to tie the game at 73 with 2:37 left. 
• After Wise took the lead again, Hudson made a layup to cut the lead to 78-77 with 13 seconds left. Vanzant hit both of her free throws to push the lead back to three.
• The Bears had two looks at it but both Harman and Crooks missed game tying three-pointers in the final possession as the Bears dropped their regular season finale 80-77. 

ABOUT THE CAVS:

• Vanzant lead the Cavs with 31 points on 13 of 21 shooting. 23 of Vanzant's 31 points came in the second half.
• Caitlyn Ross had a double-double with 18 points and ten assists. Ross had six rebounds as well.
• Sable Burnside and Leah Kestner had 12 points as the starters for the Cavs had 73 of 80 points. 

ABOUT THE BEARS:

• Crooks had a game-high and a career-best 34 points as the junior went 13-23 from the floor and 8-of-10 from the charity strip.
• Harman added 16 points and seven assists in 38 minutes of action.
• Hudson had 11 of her 14 in the second half and added seven rebounds. 

UP NEXT:  Bears will travel to Tusculum for the SAC Quarterfinals on Wednesday.