Skip To Main Content

Berry College

Official Home of Berry College Athletics
WBB Berry vs Birmingham Southern 2.5.23
© J&S Photography 2023
58
Winner Berry Berry 15-9,8-5 SAA
53
Centre Centre 17-7,11-2 SAA
Winner
Berry Berry
15-9,8-5 SAA
58
Final
53
Centre Centre
17-7,11-2 SAA
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Berry Berry 12 11 15 20 58
Centre Centre 11 22 4 16 53

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | by Niki Peters

Vikings Knock Off Centre

SAA's regular season champions fall to Berry

Elly Callihan put up 21 points for the Berry women's basketball team as it defeated Centre College, 58-53, Sunday afternoon on the road in Danville, Ky., to secure a top-four spot in Southern Athletic Association play.

Berry (15-9, 8-5 SAA) started the second half strong as it went on a 15-2 run in the third quarter to erase the Colonels' 10 point lead at the start of the period. With 44 seconds in the third, Sydney Blankenship drained a three to tie the game at 35-35. After Centre's 14th turnover, Elizabeth Sierzant drove in for a layup and drew a foul putting the score at 38-35. The Vikings would outscore Centre 15-4 in the third period.

With 7:02 remaining, Blankenship drained a three to send the Vikings on a 7-0 run and put the game out of reach, bringing the score to 48-41. Sierzant, Callihan, and Blankenship all put up free throws within the last 21 seconds of the game to bring the game to the final margin.  Free throws would be important for the Vikings, as the squad went 19-of-24 from the charity stripe in the contest, including 11-of-14 in the fourth quarter.

Callihan started the game for the Vikings by scoring the first 15 points for Berry. In the second quarter, Sarah Wright and Callihan made back-to-back threes to tighten Centre's lead to four with 5:34 remaining in the half. Centre (17-7, 11-2 SAA) began pulling away from the Vikings when it went on a 6-0 run and ended the half with a score of 33-23. 

Callihan was Berry's top scorer, with Blankenship following in double-figures with 14 points. Sierzant put up nine points and six rebounds, joining Callihan in a team-high on the glass.

Centre still clinched the SAA regular season championship as Rhodes lost at Millsaps Sunday afternoon. The Colonels will be the top seed in the SAA Championship, while Berry can finish as either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed. The win assures the Vikings of being a host in the quarterfinal round of the SAA Championship next Sunday.

The Vikings will be back on the road Wednesday evening at 6:00 p.m. against SAA foe Oglethorpe University. 
Print Friendly Version