BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Lynn University women's basketball stumbled on the first day of the Courtyard Boca Raton Holiday Classic on Saturday, falling 58-43 to Shaw University. Senior Charla Nelson-James again highlighted the effort for the Fighting Knights, chipping in 23 points.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:

Final: Shaw 76, Lynn 61

Records: Shaw (7-3), Lynn (2-7)

Location: de Hoernle Sports and Cultural Center | Boca Raton, Fla.

Series: Shaw leads 4-0

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HOW IT HAPPENED:

• First Quarter: Lynn controlled the opening tip, but Shaw began the game with a 10-0 run. The Fighting Knights shot just 3-of-21 from the floor in the first ten minutes. Fantasha Tyson and Eboni Ross combined to give the Bears 12 points, helping Shaw claim a 21-7 advantage at the end of the quarter.
• Second Quarter: Shatorria Baker and Maddie Herr began the second frame with back-to-back jumpers, igniting the Lynn offense. Nelson-James finished the period with six points, and the second quarter proved to be the only one in which the Fighting Knights outscored the Bears. Shaw carried a 34-23 lead into the locker room at halftime.
• Third Quarter: The third frame saw both teams post their highest-scoring period of the day, with Shaw tallying 24 and Lynn totaling 20 points. The Bears outrebounded their hosts by a mark of 11-8 and went into the fourth quarter with a 58-43 edge.
• Fourth Quarter: Nelson-James added ten points in the final quarter, while Ross did the same for Shaw. The Fighting Knights shot 8-of-12 from the floor and came within seven points, but the Bears came away with a 76-61 win and their seventh victory through their first 10 games.

QUOTABLE:

• "We knew coming into this weekend that we were going to see two very athletic teams. I'm proud of their fight, but we have to start fighting from the first tip. We got outrebounded today, and we know what we have to improve on for tomorrow. There's not a huge shift, but we have to focus on rebounding and defense." - Lynn head coach Julia Huddleston

STATS FROM THE GAME:

• Nelson-James' 23 points tied Eboni Ross for a game-best, with the Lynn senior posting a season-high. Nelson-James also added a team-best eight rebounds.
• Shaw claimed a 52-36 advantage in the rebounding category and shot 45% from the field.
• The Fighting Knights won the turnover battle, committing 19 and forcing 25.
• The Bears were almost automatic from the charity stripe, connecting on 15 of their 19 free throws.
• Lynn came away with 14 steals as a team, their highest single-game total this year. 

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• Nelson-James has scored in double-figures in four straight games, the longest streak of any Lynn player this season.
• The Fighting Knights have scored 61 in back-to-back games and three times on the year.

UP NEXT

The Fighting Knights return to action on Sunday, Dec. 20, when they host Benedict College in the final game of the Courtyard Boca Raton. Holiday Classic. Tipoff is set for 2:00 pm from the de Hoernle Sports and Cultural Center.