MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Barton women's basketball team (0-1) fell to Augusta (1-0), 61-60, in the 2022-23 opener at the Peach Belt/Conference Carolinas Challenge Friday evening at the Centennial Center.  Georgia College is serving as the host institution.

Augusta's Tomiyah Alford (Barnesville, Ga.) led all scorers with 22 points while Kennedi Manning (Stone Mountain, Ga.) added a double-double – 15 points and 15 rebounds – as the Jaguars held off a furious rally by the Bulldogs to pull out the win.

Barton was led by junior guard Lauren Walker (Charlotte, N.C.) with a team-high 10 points but was the lone player to score in double figures for the Bulldogs, who rallied from a 57-47 deficit with 5:46 left in the contest to cut the margin to one point but couldn't get over the top.

The Bulldogs hit just five-of-19 three-point attempts and was just seven-of-16 from the charity stripe in the setback.  Barton did force Augusta into 19 turnovers but the Jaguars held a 49-39 advantage in rebounding.

On the final day of the challenge on Saturday, Barton takes on Georgia College at 1:00 p.m., while Augusta faces Southern Wesleyan beginning at 3:00 p.m.