Pacers Drop Home Finale to Ferrum 56-68 Peace preps for conference tournament

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Peace College basketball team wrapped up their 2006-07 regular season today with a loss to Ferrum College 56-68 in the Hermann Center. The win gives the Panthers the top seed heading into the USA South Conference tournament, which begins on Tuesday night at four different locations. Peace on the other hand finished as the sixth seed in the conference standings with the defeat.

The game got off to a similar start for the Pacers. Peace was able to hang with the Panthers through out the first half, but the visitors proved to be too much in the second period for the young Pacer team. A strong team offensive showing in the first half kept the Pacers close and with :08 seconds remaining post player Emily Deal hit a 10-footer to cut the Ferrum lead to two points at 27-29 as time expired.

The Pacers found plenty of offensive power in the second half, but Ferrum was able to hit more buckets than the home team. At the 11:20 mark Panther guard Miranda Carrasco gave her team the biggest lead of the game when she nailed a jump shot to put Ferrum up by eleven. From that point on, the lead grew for the visitors. Peace would go on an offensive run, but it would be answered by the Panthers. Guard LeAnne Horne would cut the lead to seven points at the 7:13 mark, but that is as close as the Pacers would get as Ferrum took over to finish the game.

Horne, a first year player, led the way for the Pacers with 14 points on 7-16 from the floor. Horne also added 8 rebounds and 4 steals. Sophomore forward, Brittany Lynn, recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks. Sophomore guard Amanda Cross added 12 points on 4-7 shooting from the field, 2-4 beyond the arc. Sophomore guard Christy Freeman finished the game with 8 points, 5 assists and 4 steals.

With the loss, Peace finishes the regular season at 9-16, 3-11 in the USA South earning a 6th seed going into the conference tournament quarter-finals on Tuesday. Peace will travel to Greensboro, NC to take on the #3 seed Greensboro College with a tip off set for 5:30 pm. The winner of that contest will take on the winner of the Christopher Newport/Averett game in the conference semi-finals held on the campus of CNU on Friday evening. The complete tournament bracket can be viewed at www.usasouth.net