MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (February 10, 2018) – The Webber International University women's basketball team showed fight against the second-place team in The Sun Conference, but in the end the Warriors fell by a final score of 80-65 to nationally recognized Saint Thomas University.

With the defeat, Webber fell to 9-18 overall and 3-13 in the conference while Saint Thomas' record rose to 19-7 overall and an impressive 15-1 in conference action.

The Bobcats are currently receiving votes in the latest version of the NAIA Division-II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll and trail only the No. 1 ranked team in the country in the conference standings, but the Warriors made it interesting against a very strong team on Saturday.

Showing grit and determination, the Warriors cut the Saint Thomas' lead down from 21 points early in the third quarter to 10 points with 56 seconds remaining in the same quarter as two made free throws by sophomore Emmarrie Carmen capped an 8-0 Webber run.

After that, the Bobcats pulled away by as much as 19 points with 8:54 on the clock in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors refused to quit as they pulled back to within nine points after two free throws from Breyonna Reed with 6:20 remaining in the game. Webber would get no closer after that as Saint Thomas scored seven unanswered points over the next three and a half minutes to regain its double-digit lead.

Leading the way for the Warriors with another double-double and tying her career-high of 26 points was senior Ashley Perry, who also scored 26 points during the first meeting between the Warriors and the Bobcats back on January 4. Perry's double-double, which was her second straight and sixth overall as a senior, also included 11 rebounds.

The other Warrior in double figures in scoring on Saturday was Reed, who netted a career-high 18 points and had a great all-around game with seven rebounds and five assists.

Reed (8-9) and Perry (6-8) were both effective from the free throw line as Webber shot 78.3 percent (18-23) from the line as a team compared to only 60 percent free throw shooting (15-25) from the Bobcats.

Other key efforts for the Warriors included Carmen with seven points, seven rebounds and a career-high five steals; Tiffany Zito with 12 rebounds and four points; and Shayla McPhearson with seven points, four steals and three assists.

With only two games remaining on the schedule, the Warriors sit a half a game behind Thomas University (8-15, 4-13) for the last spot in the conference tournament.

Next up, Webber will head to Johnson & Wales University on Thursday, February 15, at 5:30 p.m. The Warriors' Senior Day will then come against Keiser University on Saturday, February 17, at 2 p.m. to finish out the regular season.