BABSON PARK, Fla. – Despite a career night from freshman forward Cheyanne Whitfield, Florida Memorial University's women's basketball team couldn't pull off the upset of host Webber International University Tuesday night as the Lady Lions fell 69-67 in the opening round of the Sun Conference Postseason Tournament.
 
The teams played a nip-and-tuck fourth quarter, trading the lead eight times over the final 10 minutes. After Heather Durand gave FMU a 65-64 lead with 2:22 left to play, Webber International scored the next two baskets – taking a 68-65 lead that it ultimately wouldn't relinquish. 6-seed Florida Memorial did have one final shot to potentially pull the upset on the 3-seed Warriors, getting a possession only down two with three seconds to play after Webber split a pair of late free throws.
 
After a timeout, the Lions tried to get the ball to leading scorer Keaynna Tolbert, but the Warriors had multiple defenders draped over her and instead the ball found freshman Chantel Barnett – who threw up a desperation heave that bounced off the backboard as the final buzzer sounded, cementing the final 69-67 margin.
 
Whitfield led all scorers Tuesday with 20 points (on 8-of-13 shooting) and finished one rebound shy of a double-double, totaling 9 boards to go along with 2 steals. Whitfield's 20 points and 33 minutes played both set new season highs for the Lynwood, California native.
 
Tolbert, a veritable lock for First Team All-Sun Conference honors with a decent shot at a possible NAIA All-American nod, finished with 14 points and 7 rebounds for the Lions. Durand played all 40 minutes and finished with 15 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals, and a block.
 
The Lady Lions fought their way back into the game after falling into a 9-point hole early in the first quarter. FMU settled in and began playing the style of basketball that it has when it's been most successful this season – fast-paced offensively and defensively – going on an 8-1 run at one point in the second quarter and took a 36-35 into halftime.
 
Webber International, who will play the winner of the St. Thomas University-Ave Maria game, knocked off the Lady Lions for the third time this season. Four different Warriors players finished with at least 10 points – led by Eletra Graham's 16 points – and they gained a slight edge on Florida Memorial by winning the turnover-margin battle. FMU turned the ball over 26 times Tuesday while Webber International only gave it away 19 times.
 
It also didn't help that Florida Memorial shot just 17 percent from three-point range – compared to 37 percent for Webber – and made just 12 of their 21 free throw attempts Tuesday.
 
While the 2020-21 season was an unprecedented one – thanks to the uncertainty that comes from playing through an ongoing pandemic – Florida Memorial made the TSC Postseason tournament for the fifth consecutive season under head coach Gregory Stanback. The Lady Lions also finished with an above .500 home record for the third straight season.