LAURINBURG, N.C. - CIU women's basketball secured a thrilling comeback win Wednesday night, defeating St. Andrews 68-60. Trailing by six entering the final quarter, the Rams took control with a dominant 23-point performance to seal the victory. The win marks the first for head coach Mark Molder at the helm.

Game Recap: Bethany Rymer and Mariah Leinbach got the Rams on the board early, but St. Andrews responded quickly, taking the lead at 4:14 and holding a five-point advantage after the first quarter. Despite seven points from Rymer and five from Magdalena Mihaljevic, the Knights extended their lead in the second, sending CIU into halftime trailing 39-30.

The Rams battled back in the third, briefly taking a one-point lead twice before St. Andrews regained control to head into the final frame up by six. The fourth quarter saw back-and-forth action as both teams fought to stay in front, but a pair of free throws from Leinbach put CIU ahead for good. The Rams dominated down the stretch, closing with 23 points to secure their first conference win of the season.

Rymer led the way with 23 points and seven rebounds, while Leinbach added 17. Katlynn Chinn anchored the defense with seven steals. CIU impressed from the field, shooting 44.7%, and was even sharper from three-point range, knocking down 55.6% of their attempts.

Up Next: CIU remains on the road this weekend, heading to Tennessee to take on (RV) Milligan University on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 2 p.m. EST.