LYNCHBURG, VA – First-year guard Abigail Bullins (Asheboro, NC/Asheboro) scored a career-high 22 points Thursday evening but the Randolph College women's basketball team couldn't muster enough late in falling to Southern Virginia University 76-71 in non-conference play from the Randolph Athletics and Dance (RAD) Center.

                Bullins made six three pointers on the evening, which is the third-most ever for a WildCat player. Her 18 attempts from three-land set the school record for most taken in a contest, breaking the previous record of 15 set by former Randolph guard Lauren French against Hollins University back in 2011.

                The WildCats trailed by as much as 16 points with 13:39 left in the second half, but fought back to trail by only two after a bucket from Megan Russell (Pinnacle, NC/West Stokes) with 2:51 remaining. After SVU (7-5) pushed its edge back up by four, Randolph's Emilee Dunton (Forest, VA/Brookville) fed Jensen Hoover (Woodstock, VA/Central) to again make it a two-point spread with 1:18 left.

                Southern Virginia's Crystal Cleveland made one-of-two from the line on the next possession, giving the WildCats a chance to tie with a three. Randolph got a jumper from the free throw line with 13 seconds remaining, but it wouldn't go down and the visiting Knights iced the game from the line.

                Bullins was eight-of-21 on the evening, picking up two steals and dishing out a career best of six assists. Dunton added to the three-point barrage of the WildCats, as the junior guard made four threes on the night for 14 points, chalking up six rebounds and six assists as well. Dunton and Bullins combined for 10 threes, which was the fifth-most in a game ever at the College.

                Russell ended with one of the best performances of her season, as the 6-1 center contributed 11 points, six caroms and four blocks before fouling out. The four rejections for Russell tied the school record for blocks in a game. Hoover finished with seven points and six rebounds, and Chelsea Tyler (Richmond, VA/Henrico) scored eight points.

                Sophomore forward Allie Druffel (Centreville, VA/Westfield) had a team high 10 rebounds for the WildCats, who out-rebounded Southern Virginia by a slight 47-45 margin. The WildCats shot 35.5 percent from the floor, and took 37 three-pointers on the evening, a program record.

                Southern Virginia got a game-high of 30 points from Abigail Logan, who made 12-of-17 from the floor. Amaris Newkirk had a double-double of 22 points and 14 rebounds, while also dishing out three assists, picking up three steals and blocking three shots. Ann Kuroki had seven points and 12 boards for the Knights, who took 35 free throws, making 23 (65.7 percent). Cleveland also supplied 14 points, six rebounds, four blocks and four assists for Southern Virginia.

                The WildCats will be back in action this Saturday with an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) contest with Hollins University at 2 p.m. in the RAD Center.

--RANDOLPH--