Lincoln University, Pa. - A late surge to overcome a five point deficit in the fourth quarter went for naught as the Lincoln University women's basketball team was unable to hold onto their lead and fell to the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, 79-68 Monday night at Manuel Rivero Hall.

The Lions fall to 1-5 with the loss.  UPJ improves to 4-1 on the season.

Kholby Oliver (Bowie, Md./Tallahassee Community College) again led the Lady Lion surge, knocking down three straight three-pointers en route to her team high 15 points.  Ashley Paynes-Hightower (Peoria, Ill./Harford Community College) record her first career double-double with 13 points and ten rebounds while She'quan Bailey also chipped in 13 points and had a team high five assists.

Victoria Moreland led the Lady Cats with 22 points   Jamie Tabon and Laurel O'Barto both recorded double doubles.  Tabon scored 15 points and grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds while had 16 points and a game-high ten assists.  Olivia McCabe also reached double figures for UPJ with a 14-point effort.

Lincoln entered the fourth quarter trailing by seven 52-45.  Paynes-Hightower opened the scoring with a three-pointer at the 8:39 mark, triggering a 16-5 uprising by the Lions that saw the squad take a four point lead with 5:31 left in the period.   Paynes-Hightower followed with two more baskets to close the gap to one at 53-52 before baskets from Moreland and McCabe pushed the Lady Cats lead back to five at 57-52.  Oliver then sank three consecutive 3-balls, erasing the deficit and giving Lincoln a 61-57 lead.  The lead was short-lived as the Lady Cats followed with a 10-0 run of their own to take control 67-61 with 2:41 left.   Jaeda Davis (Milwaukee, Wis./ Rufus King HS) broke the run making one of two free throws and after another McCabe layup pushed the lead to seven Brianna Logan (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley (Siena)) added a pair of free throws to close the gap back to five 69-64 with 2:14 left.  This would be as close as the Lions would get as UPJ closed out the game making eight of ten free throws in the final 1:18 to seal the 11-point win.

Pitt-Johnstown led for much of the game, scoring the final nine points of the first quarter to break a 14-14 tie and lead 23-14.  A 9-4 run by the Lady Cats to open the second quarter gave the visitors their biggest lead of the game at 32-18.  Loreal Bledsoe (Clinton, MD/Virginia University of Lynchburg) (9 pts., 7 rebs.) contributed five second quarter points  after UPJ took their biggest lead and helped LU close the gap to ten at the half 39-29.

The Lions scored the first seven points of the third quarter to close within three 39-36 and kept within single digits for the remainder of the period as the lead oscillated between five and nine points the rest of the period with the Lady Cats holding a seven point margin entering the final ten minutes of action.
Lincoln struggled with their shooting much of the night, finishing the game making just 30.3% of their shots (20-66).  UPJ shot 41.9% (26-62).  Both teams made five three-pointers and the Lions held a 76.7% (23-30) to 66.7% (22-33) advantage on the free throw line.  LU garnered 24 offensive rebounds over the course of the game as they finished with a 47-43 advantage.  UPJ committed one less turnover (15/16) and had the better assist/turnover ratio (18/15 to 12/16).

The Lions return to action on Wednesday, November 30, 2016 as they host Bloomfield College. Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m.