GREENCASTLE — Following an 0-2 mark at the Sugar Creek Classic over the weekend and on a six-game losing streak, Crawfordsville trekked south to McAnally Center to take on Greencastle on Tuesday.
Both sides struggled to get their offenses going but the Tiger Cubs found enough in the second half while holding the Athenians to eight points over 16 minutes to win 36-29.
Crawfordsville opened the scoring through Litzy Huesca before Bailey Brown tied the score and a Jacy Call three gave the hosts a 5-2 lead.
The teams would end the opening period tied at 8-8 as Huesca hit a three, Call made a layup and Molly Pierce scored on the inside, each side adding a free throw along the way.
Brown scored the only Tiger Cub field goal of the second quarter to start the period as repeated Athenian fouls sent Brown and freshmen Janae Greenlee and Kaylee Ames to the line a combined 10 times, keeping the host ticking along for the rest of the period.
Crawfordsville would finish the half on an 8-1 run with six points coming in the final 90 second as Yuli Torres hit two free throws and Olivia Hedrick scored twice in the paint, the last on a putback, to hand the visitors an 18-17 lead at the break.
Pierce would score all three Athenian baskets in the third quarter, hitting the first just seconds into the second half and twice more to answer Greencastle points for a 24-20 lead.
A jumper from Ames and a basket by Emily Hunsinger eliminated the gap by the end of the period as the two teams went into the final eight minutes tied at 24-24.
A quick six-point burst put the Tiger Cubs in control as Sarah Simmerman hit a runner, Hunsinger scored and Brown added a putback to make it 30-24.
Caroline Melevage scored off a steal but the home side went a spotless 6-for-6 from the free throw line down the stretch as Brown hit two and Ali Dobbs hit four from the stripe to see out the win.
