Need to Know
Score: Piedmont 61, #12 Maryville 54
Records: Lions 16-4 (11-0 USA South), Scots 15-3 (8-1 USA South)
Location: Demorest, Georgia - Cave Arena

Demorest, GA - The Piedmont College women's basketball followed through on an upset bid over the country's 12th ranked team on Wednesday evening defeating Maryville College 61-54 in front of a jam-packed crowd in the Cave.  

For Maryville, the loss was the first in USA South play this season and just the fifth loss in conference regular season play for the Scots over the last three seasons as MC has won at least a share of the league's regular season title in each of the last three years. 

The contest was tight throughout with each team's largest lead amounting to just eight points as the Scots held the advantage in the early going with Madison Maples hitting a three near the end of the 1st quarter to give the visitors a 6-point lead after one.  Maples hit three of her four 3-pointers on the night in the final five minutes of the 1st quarter before Piedmont clamped down defensively to cool off one of the league's hottest shooters.

As Piedmont turned up the heat defensively to make it a one-point game at the halftime break 29-28, the offense started to flow for the home team as well with several different players knocking down huge open looks to help the Lady Lions take charge in the upset effort.  Trailing by one with 1:08 remaining in the third, Piedmont's ERIN CLIFFORD drained an open look from three-point land to give PC the lead 42-40 as eight of the game's 12 lead changes came in just the 3rd quarter alone.

With the game still in doubt heading into the 4th, Piedmont's TAYLOR SWOSZOWSKI tried to distance her team from the visitors hitting from deep to put the Lady Lions up four, but Maryville continued to battle with the Scots' Jordan Ballard knocking down 1-of-2 from the charity stripe to make it a one-possession game with 3:36 to go.  However, Piedmont got the answer it needed when senior MARY KATE RUSHTON connected on a key three-pointer with just over two to play to make the lead six and insurmountable for the Scots.

Though McKenzie Puckett hit a three for Maryville with just over a minute to go to make it a five-point game, the Scots would not hit another shot from the field as a pair of DAKOTA SULLENS free throws salted away the big win for PC on its home court over the nationally ranked foe.

Turning Point
--A MARY KATE RUSHTON three-pointer with 2:15 to play that gave Piedmont a six-point margin in what was previously a one-possession game.

Standout Performances
--Rushton was Piedmont's leading scorer as well with a dozen points shooting 5-of-13 from the field and adding five rebounds to the cause.
--BRIANNA BARRETT posted an all-around stat line with ten points, five rebounds, three assists, and five steals...two shy of tying a single-game season high seven set against NC Wesleyan back on December 15.

Inside the Box Score
--Piedmont's BRIANNA BARRETT incredibly played all 40 minutes in the hard-fought contest running the point in the team's upset of a top-12 team.  
--The night on the offensive end for Piedmont pushes the Lady Lions to now 1,539 points in the 2015-16 campaign, the 9th most points scored by any Division III team in the country. 
--On the other side of the court, PC forced Maryville into 23 turnovers on the evening which is the 2nd most for the Scots in a single game all season.

News & Notes
--With the Piedmont men's basketball team going on later in the evening to defeat the Scots as well, Piedmont picks up its first sweep of Maryville in men's and women's basketball on the same evening since doing so back on January 31, 2010.
--That evening in 2010, the Lady Lions won 72-63 over the Scots.
--PC is now 2-2 in its last four meetings with Maryville in women's basketball defeating MC at home by four, 58-54, on February 19, 2014.

Up Next
The Lady Lions will look to keep its current 12-game winning streak alive when taking the court next on February 10 at home against Covenant College in USA South action.  The contest will tip off at 5:30 pm with live video and stats coverage provided courtesy of the Mane Event Broadcasting Network with WCON Radio providing a simulcast over the airwaves as well. 

How to Follow
To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont College Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on Twitter: @PiedmontLions, Instagram: @PiedmontLions, Snapchat: @PiedmontLions and Facebook. To follow each Piedmont athletic program on social media, use the Social Media Directory at PiedmontLions.com or click here.