PHOENIX – After overcoming an 18-point deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter, the East Texas A&M University women's basketball team had the lead with less than three minutes to play on Friday afternoon, but the Seattle Redhawks scored the final seven points at Global Credit Union Arena at Grand Canyon for the 79-76 win.
 
The Lions hit 14 three-pointers, which are tied for second most in program history to lead 76-72 with 2:18 to play, but did not make a basket the rest of the way, missing three shots late. Seattle tied the game at 76 with 1:20 to play and went 3 for 6 at the line down the stretch for the win.
 
The loss drops the Lions to 3-4 on the season, while Seattle improves to 2-4 on the season.
 
The Redhawks scored the first eight points of the game as the Lions missed their first four shots of the game. East Texas A&M twice pulled to within three, but Seattle used a 12-0 run at the end of the first and into the second to lead 33-15 at the 8:30 mark of the second quarter. Seattle entered the game averaging 5.7 three-pointers made per game but knocked down six in the first quarter and shot 79 percent from the field in the first quarter.
 
Falling behind by 18, the Lions allowed just four points to Seattle the rest of the second quarter and cut it to a two-point game at the half, trailing 37-35. Both Cora Horvath (Oberwart, Austria) and Jordyn Newsome (Irving – MacArthur) scored eight each in the second quarter, as the Lions shot 8 for 14 from the field and went 4 for 6 from the distance in the quarter, outscoring the Redhawks, 20-9.
 
Seattle used a five-point possession to start the second half to push its lead back up to seven. Christeina Bryan hit a layup and was fouled, but missed the free throw, though the Redhawks got the offensive rebound and Bryan hit a three-pointer.
 
Horvath hit a three-pointer to cut it to 51-50 with four minutes left in the third, but Seattle pushed its lead back up to five. Newsome hit two free throws at the end of the third to make it a 61-59 game entering the fourth.
 
The Lions used a 7-0 run in the fourth to take their first lead of the game and extend it to as much as five at the 7:56 mark on a three-pointer by Newsome, who had five of the seven points in the stretch. Seattle got the lead back momentarily, but Nykesha Sanders (Detroit, Mich.) hit a three-pointer to put the Lions up 71-69 and they did not trail again till the final minute of the game.
 
Horvath led the Lions with 25 points on 9 for 17 shooting, including 7 for 10 from deep. She scored 25 points in the second straight game and scored 20 or more points in three of her last four. She also had six assists, three rebounds, and a steal. Newsome totaled 22 points, three rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
 
Sanders was the team leader in assists with eight, while Alva Hedrich (Muecke, Germany) led the way with nine rebounds and six points. Nina Horvath (Oberwart, Austria) added 10 points off the bench and Nyaluak Dak (Lincoln, Neb.) tallied six points and six rebounds off the bench.
 
Bryan was the leading scorer for the Redhawks with 16. Both teams shot 47.5 percent in the game, while the Lions went 14 for 28 from deep and Seattle went 13 for 32.
 

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The Lions play the hosts, Grand Canyon, at 3:30 p.m. central Saturday to close out the Talking Stick Resort Thanksgiving Classic.