Lynchburg, Va. -- The University of Lynchburg women's basketball team battled back from a 14-point deficit to even the score in the fourth quarter, but ultimately fell short against Johnson & Wales, 84-80, on Friday afternoon in Turner Gymnasium.

Brooke Cason paced the Hornets (7-3) offensively, netting an astonishing seven 3-pointers on 11 attempts to set a personal-best mark and tie the second-most in a game in program history. Cason finished the afternoon with a team-high 21 points while Audra Petty and Bree Spainhour added double-figure performances with 18 and 14 points, respectively. 

JWU Charlotte jumped out to an early advantage, scoring 25 points in the opening quarter on .563 percent from the field to take a 25-15 lead. Lynchburg found its rhythm in the second quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 20-18 to cut the deficit to eight at the break. The Hornets continued their push in the third period, scoring 22 points and trimming the margin to 60-57 heading into the final quarter.

Lynchburg kept the game within reach down the stretch, putting up 23 points in the fourth quarter, but JWU Charlotte matched the effort with 24 points to secure the four-point win. After tying the score with 4:38 to go following a five-point rally that included a cason 3-pointer and layup from Kate Littlejohn, the Wildcats answered with a 7-2 run that gave them a 75-70 edge with 3:27 to go. 

Petty helped give the Hornets a fighting chance late in the period with a conventional three-point play at the 24-second mark, then followed up with a difficult corner three to bring Lynchburg within two with 12 seconds left. JWU Charlotte closed out the game as Kyrah Davis hit both shots from the foul line.

Korletta Daniels led the Wildcats offensively with a team-high 19 points, shooting six-of-11 from the field, including three-of-five from beyond the arc, and a perfect four-of-four from the free-throw line. Laylah Toscano added 16 points and pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds to record a double-double, while DeAshaj Crawford chipped in 15 points on six-of-eight shooting. Maliah Preston contributed 10 points and four steals, while Davis finished with 12 points and four assists.

Lynchburg shot .462 percent from the floor and knocked down 11 three-pointers to tie a season-high. The Hornets also held a 34-30 edge in points in the paint and scored 10 second-chance points.

The Hornets have a quick turnaround and will return to action tomorrow when Emory visits Turner Gym on Saturday, Jan. 3 at 2 p.m.

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