A long fight

STAUNTON — An eerie silence followed Mary Baldwin’s basketball team off the hardwood as Greensboro College dismantled the home team 94-39 on Sunday in Staunton.

That silence continued more than 30 minutes after the game behind the closed doors of the Fighting Squirrels’ locker room, where head coach John Stuart remained with his team.

No one was allowed in; no one left the meeting. Stuart was not available for comment. He and his team have until the weekend to revamp their plans and press forward.

Mary Baldwin (3-6, 1-3 USA South Athletic Conference) suffered its second straight loss. On the flip side, Greensboro wrapped up its seventh win and its first conference victory of the season.

The Pride were just in sync.

“In the first half, we were a little loose,” said Pride coach Jason Tuggle, whose team will play Mary Baldwin again on Jan. 25. “After that we came back and played more as a team, rather than playing as individuals. That really helped us become more unified,” Tuggle said.

That unity hurt the Squirrels.

The Pride led Mary Baldwin going into intermission 39-24. The full-court press was a problem for the Squirrels and Greensboro out-hustled the home team on both sides of the court.

Mary Baldwin was still in the game in the first half, but was its worst enemy at the free-throw line.The Squirrels were 0-5 at the line and did not sink on a one-and-one opportunity until Christie Hamilton’s basket in the last half.

Down 10-14 in the first, the Squirrels kept up with the Pride. On a pass from teammate Vanessa Mayo, Christie Hamilton hit a 3-pointer from the wing. But Greensboro broke loose for back-to back three-point plays, sparking a seven point run.

Mary Baldwin’s Sabrina Desper had eight points during the stanza and finished the game with 12, followed by Hamilton, who finished with seven points.

Whatever Tuggle said after the first half worked for his team, but stifled any hopes of a Mary Baldwin rally.

With a 50-30 lead, the Pride went on an 11 point second-half run by forcing fouls. Mary Baldwin tried to get possession of the ball, but could not penetrate the man-to-man defense or roll off screens. The Fighting Squirrels added nine points in the quarter, including three points from the line.

Mary Baldwin has a chance to gain a conference win on Jan. 10, when they host Christopher Newport University at 2 p.m.