DEMOREST, Ga. – Piedmont's Beth Adcock knocked down two clutch free throws with no time remaining in regulation that sent the game into overtime and Laura Simmons' jumper 2:12 into the extra frame gave the hosts a lead they would not surrender, as they held on to beat Millsaps 81-80 on Saturday afternoon in the season-opener for both teams.
Playing an incredibly aggressive style of basketball, the Majors outhustled the Lions with 23 steals to keep them in the lead late, but committed 37 turnovers and a costly foul just before time expired that denied them their first win of the year.
The teams traded 17 leads and were tied 14 times, with Millsaps taking its largest lead of the game, 59-50, with 11:40 remaining after senior LaReina Adams' jumper in the paint.
Piedmont responded with a 15-5 run over the next 5:20 to retake the lead by one, 65-64, after Kayla Duncan's pair of free throws that set up an exciting final six minutes.
Neither team led by more than two the rest of the way, exchanging five lead changes, until Adcock's free throws gave Piedmont a 72-70 lead with 2:50 remaining. Millsaps would rally to score the next four points behind strong defense from Jessica Bowie and the senior's jumper with 13 seconds left in regulation to take a 74-72 lead before her foul sent Adcock back to the line where she sent the game into overtime.
In the extra frame, Piedmont took a 2-point lead on Simmons' jumper and never looked back, holding off a Janice Okeke jumper that brought it to within one and Tiffany Whitmore's 3-pointer that made the final 81-80 in favor of the Lions.
Simmons scored a game-high 27 points off the bench on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor and 10-of-13 shooting from the stripe, followed by four other Lions in double figures. For Millsaps, Adams missed a double-double by one rebound, finishing with 21 points and nine boards in addition to solid performances from Crystal Dickerson (16 points, seven steals) and freshman Janice Okeke (11 points, seven rebounds) making her first collegiate start.
The Majors will continue a 4-game road stretch to open the year tomorrow, taking on Spelman College at 2 p.m. in Atlanta, Ga. They will not play at home until Nov. 30.
