THE GAME FACTS
Score: Stevenson 63, Roanoke 61
Location: Salem, Va.

The Short Story:  Stevenson made a second-half comeback as the Roanoke women's basketball team dropped a heart breaker in its first game of the 2023 Jean Beamer Tip-Off Classic to the Mustangs, 63-61, on Saturday evening at the Cregger Center.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Maroons started off the first quarter even with Stevenson with the teams tied up at 6-6. Roanoke would then go on a 14-0 run capped by a three-pointer by Kate Littlejohn with 1:42 left in the period. The Mustangs hit a basket and a free throw to close out the quarter with the Maroons leading 25-11.
• The second quarter saw Roanoke maintain a double-digit lead for most of the period until the Mustangs made a pair of free throws with 1:39 left in the half to cut the Roanoke lead down to 33-25. They would cut their deficit down to four before the Maroons got a three-pointer from Peyton Kirchner with 18 seconds left as Roanoke led 36-29 at the break.
• Much like the second quarter, the third saw Roanoke maintain its lead until less than two minutes left in the period when Stevenson made a three-pointer with 1:39 left to tie the score at 46-46. The score would remain tied going into the final quarter at 48-48.
• Neither team scored for nearly the first three minutes of the fourth quarter before the Mustangs held a slim lead before a pair of free throws by Lauren Keel with 2:01 left gave the Maroons the lead back. Another set of free throws by Keel tied the game up with 17 seconds left at 61-61 before the Mustangs were able to escape with a layup with five seconds remaining for the win.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Roanoke was led by Jacquelyn DeJesse's 14 points with Alexa Kulakowski also reaching double-figures with 11. 
• Madison Nereu led the Maroons on the boards with nine rebounds. 

UP NEXT

• Roanoke is back on the court on Sunday with the consolation game of the 2023 Jean Beamer Tip-Off Classic as it takes on the Greensboro Pride. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.