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- Greensboro Groove dominated early, holding Savannah Steel to two made field goals in the first seven minutes of the second quarter.
- Savannah Steel shot 40% in the third and went 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, outscoring Greensboro Groove 23-14.
- Savannah Steel cut the margin to single digits, reaching 69-60 with 3:46 remaining, forcing Janice Washington to call a timeout.
- Savannah Steel outscored Greensboro Groove 42-22 after halftime but still lost, dropping the Steel to a 7-22 record.
Savannah Steel rally falls short in 72-68 loss to Greensboro Groove
Savannah Steel rally from 26 down but fall 72-68 to Greensboro, setting up a rematch Saturday.
GREENSBORO, N.C. —
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The Savannah Steel mounted a furious second-half comeback Friday night, but an early deficit proved too much to overcome in a 72-68 loss to the Greensboro Groove at Novant Health Fieldhouse.
Savannah struggled to find its rhythm early as Greensboro jumped out to a nine-point lead after the opening quarter and continued to extend its advantage in the second.
The Groove’s defense held the Steel to just two made field goals through the first seven minutes of the second quarter, helping Greensboro build a lead as large as 26 points.
Savannah entered halftime trailing 50-26.
The Steel came out of the locker room with renewed energy, opening the second half with back-to-back baskets. Savannah began attacking more effectively offensively and put together one of its best stretches of the night in the third quarter.
The Steel shot 40% from the field in the third and went 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, outscoring Greensboro 23-14 to cut the deficit to 64-49 heading into the fourth.
The comeback continued in the final period.
Savannah kept chipping away at the Groove’s lead, eventually cutting the deficit to single digits at 69-60 with 3:46 remaining and forcing Greensboro coach Janice Washington to call a timeout.
Despite trailing by as many as 26 points, the Steel’s second-half push kept the game within reach down the stretch.
Savannah outscored Greensboro 42-22 after halftime, but the early deficit ultimately proved too much to overcome as the Groove held on for the four-point victory.
The loss drops the Steel to 7-22 on the season.
Next up
Savannah will have a quick chance to bounce back when the Steel and Groove meet again Saturday, Aug. 15, at 4 p.m.
The Steel will look to carry the momentum from Friday’s second-half comeback into the rematch.
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