GREENSBORO, N.C. – Demet Saygili finished with a season-high 40 points as the Mary Baldwin University women's basketball team fended off Greensboro 79-76 in USA South action on Wednesday night.

With the win, the Fighting Squirrels move to 11-9 on the season with an even 6-6 mark in league play and complete the regular season sweep of the Pride. Meanwhile, GC falls to 10-8 overall with a 7-4 record in conference action.

Saygili scored the 40 points on 15-of-24 shooting from the field, including an impressive 7-of-9 from three-point range. She completed a double-double by pulling down 10 rebounds and nearly recorded a triple-double by adding eight assists. She also grabbed two steals as she played all 40 minutes. The game marks Saygili's second time scoring at least 40 points with the first time coming against N.C. Wesleyan in the USA South Tournament last season where she finished with 44 points.

Hannah Varner added 12 points, two rebounds and a pair of assists, while Nicole Mallon tallied 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting with five rebounds and a blocked shot in 17 minutes of action. Mary Moran led the team with 12 rebounds that went along with eight points and an assist.

Greensboro scored the first points of the game on a trey before edging out its lead to 9-4 with 6:49 left in the first quarter. The lead was eventually worked out to a 19-13 advantage before a three by Varner and a Saygili layup trimmed the deficit to just one point with less than three minutes in the period. A three from the Pride set the score at 22-18 before a layup from Varner cut the lead to just two points. Saygili hit a three with under five seconds remaining in the first to give the Fighting Squirrels their first lead of the night, 23-22, after one.

The Pride took the lead back right away as the second quarter began and jumped back out to a five-point advantage. A three and a layup from Saygili once against put MBU in front with 7:42 left in the first half. Again, the Pride moved out in front but MBU rallied once again on a Moran layup and a three by Cauy Duboise to take a 43-38 lead with 3:31 showing on the clock. Greensboro scored the next nine points to increase the lead to 47-43 with a minute left in the first half. Saygilli hit another three and dropped two free throws to put the Fighting Squirrels back in the lead at the break, 48-47.

In the second half, each side alternated baskets until the Pride worked out to a 59-53 lead with 4:31 remaining in the third quarter. The two teams again traded scores with the Fighting Squirrels hitting a pair of threes to tie the game once again. The teams tied another time in the period before the Pride took a 63-61 lead into the final quarter.

Seven straight points from the Fighting Squirrels pushed them into the lead once again after a three by Brooke Anders with 7:48 left on the clock. Another three by the Pride made it a one-point contest before each side traded threes for the next three minutes capped by a Saygili three with 2:04 left to set the score at 74-73. Saygili hit a jumper to extend the lead to three points before a three from Greensboro tied the game with just 40 seconds remaining on the clock. After a timeout by Greensboro, Saygili drilled another three with 14 seconds left in regulation to put MBU up 79-76. Another timeout was called by the Pride to advance the ball and a game-tying three pointer was off the mark as time expired for the Fighting Squirrels to hold on to win.

MBU finished the contest at 44.8 percent (30-67) from the field, including 13-27 from three-point range (.481). The Fighting Squirrels were also perfect from the free throw line and matched the home side in rebounds at 42. The Pride finished at 34.6 percent (27-78) from the floor. The game saw a total of 14 lead changes and six ties with the difference being Mary Baldwin shooting nearly 50.0 percent in the fourth quarter as Saygili scored 13 of her 40 in the final period on 5-of-7 shooting, including three treys.

The Fighting Squirrels return to the court on Saturday, Feb. 1, as they face Methodist in the Riddle Center beginning at 2 pm.

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