LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- The Covenant women's basketball team played a flawless first half and then held off a furious rally from visiting LaGrange to hold on for a 61-57 victory on Senior Day inside Barnes PE Center.
Covenant (10-15, 7-9 USA South) concludes the regular season and will be the No. 6 seed in next week's USA South Tournament. The Scots will travel to No. 3 seed Maryville on Wednesday.
Prior to the game, Covenant honored its lone senior in Margo Koby. Koby has played in 71 career games for the Scots and has been a leader both on and off the court during her time in a Covenant uniform.
The Scots had one of their best performances of the year in the regular season finale. Covenant jumped out to a 16-point first half lead and shot over 55 percent in the first two quarters to take a 41-26 lead into the break.
Hannah Monday scored 19 of her game-high 26 points in the first half to help the Scots to the big lead. Covenant used a huge second quarter where it outscored LaGrange, 22-10, to take its largest lead of the half at 38-22 after a Monday free throw.
Covenant stretched the lead to 19 early in the third quarter after back-to-back baskets from Elissa Moore made it 47-28 with 6:14 remaining.
LaGrange (15-10, 8-8 USA South) chipped away at the Covenant lead and got back into the game in the fourth quarter. A Jahpera McEachin three-point play with 1:38 remaining in the fourth trimmed the Scots' lead to 58-55, but Covenant clamped down defensively over the last minute and iced the game with two Ruthie Moore free throws with 1.8 seconds left.
Monday ended with a double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds, while Ruthie Moore also recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Monday also registered four blocks and two steals in the win. Koby finished with eight points and four rebounds. Cosette Kirsch dished out a game-high six assists and Elissa Moore added sven points.
Covenant shot 39.3 percent (22-of-56) for the game with five 3-pointers.
LaGrange was led by McEachin and Nadia Montour with 12 points each. The Panthers hit just one 3-pointer and were 8-of-14 at the foul line in the loss.
UP NEXT
Covenant will travel to face No. 3 seed Maryville in the USA South Tournament first round on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Game time is TBA.
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