The Central Christian Tigers suffered a 63-49 defeat at the hands of the Nelson University Lions in a tough road matchup. Kayla Hall led the Tigers in scoring with 11 points, while Chloe Clevenger provided all-around play with 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Despite a strong finish to the third quarter, Central was unable to overcome a series of turnovers and struggles on the boards, as Nelson capitalized on these issues to pull away for the win on Thursday Evening.
 
Article by Chad Clevenger
The Tigers started the game with an early 11-7 lead in the first quarter, but turnovers and rebounding quickly became problems. To make matters worse, the Lions dominated the boards, grabbing 10 offensive rebounds to Central's 2, which resulted in numerous second-chance opportunities. This allowed Nelson to build a 17-11 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, Central continued to battle but couldn't find a way to slow down the Lions, who extended their lead to double digits. At halftime, Nelson held a 36-26 advantage.
 
A Slow start to the 3^rd quarter saw the Tigers fall behind by 16, but Central began to show signs of life. The Tigers went on a 13-3 run to close out the third quarter, cutting the deficit to just 6 points heading into the final period. Despite the momentum shift, Central couldn't fully overcome the gap, as Nelson's defensive pressure and timely shooting kept them in control.
 
Hallee Winsea added 8 points, and Clevenger contributed 6, but Central's comeback ultimately fell short in the fourth quarter as Nelson's defense tightened.
 
The Tigers were only able to force 5 turnovers from Nelson, while the Lions' aggressive defense led to multiple turnovers by Central. Nelson was able to capitalize on Central's mistakes, converting 21 Tiger turnovers into 21 points. The Tigers' inability to convert those extra possessions into points ultimately proved costly.
 
Key Stat: Nelson Converted 21 Turnovers to 21 Points.
 
Tiger Leaders:
Points: Kayla Hall (11)
Rebounds: Chloe Clevenger (9)
Assists: Chloe Clevenger (5)
Steals: Chloe Clevenger (1), Kayla Hall (1), Cristina Laudan (1), Charmayne Marshall (1)
Blocks: Cristina Laudan (1), Alexandria Craig (1), Rachel Ellis (1), Amanda Dotter (1), Denia Miler (1)
 
Next up for the Tigers will be a home game on Saturday, where they'll face the University of North Texas-Dallas at 2:00 p.m. Game can also be seen on the SAC Sports Network.