SPARTANBURG. SC – The Emmanuel Women's Basketball team faced Barton College tonight in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Atlantic Casualty Conference Carolinas Basketball Championship. The match-up was a defensive battle, but the Bulldogs were able to slow down the Lions offense and took the game 60-53 to move on to the semifinals. With the loss, the Lions fall to 17-11 overall, 12-6 in conference play. 
 
The first quarter was a defensive battle, with neither team breaking 20 points. The Lions shot 23.08% from the field and connected on 4-5 foul shots. After a back and forth start to the game, the Bulldogs took the lead for good in the quarter with 3:26 to play, 10-8 and led by six at the end of the first, 17-11. 
 
In the second quarter, the Bulldogs went scoreless for the first six minutes of play, but the Lions couldn't take advantage. Emmanuel would get the game within one point on a layup by Maddie Futch, to make it 18-17, but Barton would close out the quarter outscoring the Lions 11-6 to lead by six at the break, 29-23.
 
In the third quarter, the Lions offense was slowed down, but they were 6-8 from the foul line to keep the game within reach. The Bulldogs extended the lead late in the quarter by as much as 11 points, but the Lions closed out the quarter with a 5-0 run from the foul line trail by six after three, 40-34.
 
In the final quarter of play, the Lions left it all on the court shooting 8-18 from the field and 3-4 from beyond the arc. The Lions would take a 41-40 lead on a three-pointer by Abby Crawford with 7:17 to play, but the Bulldogs would answer back. After the Lions led 43-42, Barton would go on a 7-0 run to pull away. In the end, the Bulldogs took the game by seven, 60-53 to move on to the semifinals. 
 
Sydney Wyatt led the Lions with 19 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block. Tyasia Freeman contributed another double-double with 12 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks and an assist. 
 
For more information on Emmanuel University athletics, visit goeulions.com.