ANDERSON, S.C. -- A late run by the Lady Railsplitters (15-11, 12-9 SAC) came oh-so-close but twenty-first ranked Anderson (20-4, 18-3 SAC) held on for the 67-62 win Wednesday evening at the Abney Athletic Center.

The Lady Railsplitters have already clinched a berth in next week's South Atlantic Conference Tournament, but the loss tonight puts them in a tie for fifth place with Catawba.

LMU was led by Megan Pittman's (Liberty, Ky.) 12th double-double of the year as she had 13 points and 13 rebounds. Britney Guy (Locust Grove, Ga.) added in 11 points, all in the second half. The Lady Railspitters show 33.8% (23-68) from the field, 17.6% (3-17) from three-point range and 86.7% (13-15) from the free throw line. LMU once again owned the boards as they outrebounded Anderson 46-38.

The Trojans picked up the 2-0 lead off an Alexis Dillard layup with 9:09 left in the first period and would never relinquish the lead for the entire game. LMU would cut the lead to two points on four occasions in the first quarter but after one period Anderson held the 18-15 lead.

A Heather Jankowy three-pointer seconds into the second quarter would put AU up 21-15. Free throws by Pittman and a basket by Jasmine Kelly (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) would cut the lead to 21-19 with 6:59 left. The Trojans would then go on an 8-2 run and maintain that advantage until a Pittman layup with 31 seconds left in the half cut the lead to 32-26.

Anderson would come out and score six unanswered points to go up 38-26 with 7:56 remaining in the third quarter. LMU would cut the lead to nine, 39-30, off of two free throws by Kiara Rawls (Killeen, Texas) at the 6:06 mark. The Trojans would extend the lead to as much as 17 before LMU would cut it to 13 at the end of the third quarter.

AU would maintain the double-digit lead throughout most of the fourth period before the Lady Railsplitters made a late run. After the Trojans took a 65-46 lead with 4:12 remaining, a jumper by Britney Guy sparked the run. A three pointer by Ross Mathis (Greer, S.C.) and a layup by Emily Griffith (Oliver Springs, Tenn.) cut the lead to 65-53. AU's Madison Floyd would then be fouled by Mathis, but only hit one of the two free throws. Another layup by Griffith cut the lead to 66-55 with 1:06 left in the game. Anderson tried to run some time off the clock, but Pittman stole the ball and found Rachel Griffith (Oliver Springs, Tenn.) open for the layup with 39 seconds left, cutting the AU lead to 66-57. 

LMU then fouled to stop the clock, but AU's Cassie Ketchum missed both free throws and LMU's Josey Harding (Middletown, Ohio) rebounded the ball and passed it to Mathis. Mathis missed a three-pointer but Pittman corralled the rebound and was fouled as she put in the layup. She hit the free throw to complete the old fashioned three-point play and cut the deficit to 66-60. LMU again fouled to stop the clock, and this time AU's Jasmine Raynor hit one of two free throws to make it a three possession game with 15 seconds left. Rachel Griffith would find Brooke Taylor (White Pine, Tenn.) open for the short jumper, but it was not enough as Anderson held on for the 67-62 win.

Anderson had four players in double figures, led by Floyd's 14 points. Jennifer Monroe had 12 points, Dillard scored 11 and Jankowy added in 10 points and six assists. The Trojans shot 37.9% (22-58) from the field, 50% (6-12) from beyond the arc and 60.7% (17-28) from the charity stripe for the game.

Quick Notes
LMU falls to 4-9 all-time vs. Anderson and 1-5 all-time in the Abney Center.... Pittman became the 16th Lady Railsplitter to have 500 or more career rebounds with her 13 boards tonight. She currently is in 14th on the all-time rebounds list with 510.... Pittman has now pulled down 267 rebounds this season, which is the 10th best all-time in a season by a Lady Railsplitter. She has a chance to move up at least two spots on that list, passing Hillary Ross' 268 in 2001-02 and Sis Lawhead's 269 in 1980-81.... Pittman's 10.3 rebounds per game average is also the 6th best in a season... 

Up Next
The Lady Railsplitters will return home for the final time this season as they host Catawba on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the regular season finale. It will also be senior night and the five seniors (Guy, Lakeshia Beasley, Kortnay Cox. Jasmine Kelly and Kiara Rawls) as well as graduate player Stephanie Smith will be playing for the final time in the friendly confines of the Tex Turner Arena. Catawba comes into the game with a 15-12 overall record and a 12-9 SAC record following a 74-53 loss at Wingate earlier tonight.