The Colorado College women's basketball team gave No. 16 Hardin-Simmons University all it could handle, but a pair of shots in the final two seconds wouldn't fall and the Tigers came out on the wrong end of a 74-73 result on Saturday afternoon at Reid Arena.

CC took a 73-71 lead on Zoe Tomlinson's layup with 1:08 remaining in the game, but Hallie Edmondson's three-pointer from the left wing with 41 seconds to go proved to be difference.

After falling behind by eight points less than a minute into the second half, the Tigers went on a 34-18 rampage to build a 66-58 lead with 6:17 remaining.

She'Ray Wilson, who finished with a game-high 26 points, hit a pair of three-pointers as HSU answered with a 13-5 surge to knot the score at 71-71 with 1:27 to play.

Sophomore winger Audrey Bayston led Colorado College with 22 points, her second game this season with more than 20 points.

Junior point guard Anna Fanelli scored 13 points and produced seven assists, while junior forward Rosie Braley finished with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists.

A three-pointer from Bayston and a Healy Bledsoe free throw gave the Tigers a 20-16 lead in the opening minute of the second quarter, however the Cowgirls went on a 22-8 run to open a 10-point cushion before Bayston scores the final two points of the first half.

CC took its first lead since the second quarter when Tomlinson scored on a layup 20 points into the fourth quarter.     

The Tigers finished with a 47-40 advantage in rebounds, but Hardin-Simmons made up for that difference by hitting 12 of 41 shots from behind the arc.
     
   
Coach's Comments
"I'm proud of our performance against a very talented Hardin-Simmons squad," head coach Katherine Menendez said. "Competing down-to-the-wire with a top-20 nationally ranked team shows exactly what is possible for this group. There is no doubt that the energy and experience gained this weekend will propel us forward into the start of conference play.

"Zoë Tomlinson and Audrey Bayston both significantly impacted the game for us with their presence on the offensive end of the court as well as their rebounding. This was a great team effort and we are all excited to move into SCAC play this week with a significant amount of momentum."
   
Colorado College Standouts
Zoë Tomlinson posted her second double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Talia Cloud scored seven points and pulled down five rebounds.
   
Hardin-Simmons Standouts
Brittany Schnabel finished with 11 points and six rebounds.
Ashton Garner produced 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
   
Notes
Colorado College slipped to 2-3.
Hardin-Simmons improved to 6-0.
   
Next for the Tigers
Colorado College begins Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play on Thursday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. MT when the Tigers play host to the University of St. Thomas at Reid Arena.