Lady Barons Fall To Firehawks
Courtesy of BPCU
The Lady Barons basketball team of Brewton-Parker Christian University were unable to overcome the fourth-quarter offensive surge of the University of Tennessee Southern Firehawks in Gillis Gymnasium on January 29, 2026. Despite a strong outing, the Lady Barons fell to the Firehawks, 67- 82. Brewton-Parker controlled the early tempo, using a balanced attack to build a 19-15 lead after the first quarter. Ja'Ka'Yah Draughn sparked the opening frame with a 3-pointer that pushed the lead to 9-4, and Andrian Stewart added two free throws in the final minute to keep the Lady Barons in front. Sydney Beasley then beat the buzzer with a jumper to close the quarter, giving Brewton- Parker a four-point edge and early momentum at home.
The Lady Barons extended the advantage to 21-15 on a layup from Jasmine Leynard early in the second quarter, but Tennessee Southern responded with a sustained run to flip the game before halftime. Behind efficient execution in the half court and a steady presence at the foul line, the visitors outscored Brewton-Parker 22-13 in the second. A pair of free throws from Silkiari Vazquez-Troche with 14 seconds left in the half sent Tennessee Southern into the locker room with a 37-32 lead, turning a first-quarter deficit into a two-possession advantage.
Brewton-Parker continued to battle in the third quarter, trimming the margin to six entering the final 10 minutes, but Tennessee Southern consistently found timely answers. A lay-up from Taya Totten pushed the lead to 49-38 midway through the third, and a 3-pointer from Mycala Carney later in the frame made it 5344. The Lady Barons kept contact at the free-throw line and on the offensive glass, pulling within 5650 by the end of the quarter, but were unable to generate a sustained run to reclaim the lead.
Tennessee Southern put the game out of reach in the fourth. The Firehawks outscored Brewton- Parker 26-17 in the final quarter, capitalizing on free throws and transition opportunities. The Lady Barons' defense generated opportunities throughout the night, as the Lady Barons collected 13 steals and forced 22 turnovers. Andrian Stewart anchored that effort with a standout all-around performance, finishing with nine points, 10 rebounds, and seven steals while adding two assists. Draughn led the Lady Barons in scoring with 17 points, and Beasley added 15 points.
Head Coach Steve Edwards commented after the game, 'We don't make enough plays to beat good teams right now. Our group tries, but trying doesn't equate to wins. We will continue to push this group. We still believe we can play some good basketball down the stretch.'
The loss moves the Lady Barons to 4-17 and 3-7 in conference on the year. Looking ahead, the Lady Barons will need to be resilient in their upcoming games against the remainder of their conference opponents in the final stretch of the season. Their next opponent was supposed to be the Toppers of Blue Mountain University, but the weather caused the game to be postponed. Be sure to follow Barons Athletics for updates on the next Lady Barons basketball game.
