Charlotte, N.C. - Johnson & Wales Charlotte defeated Ferrum College 56-53 in women's basketball on Wednesday night.

The Wildcats led by five points after twenty minutes of play largely on the strength of 8 of 10 free throw shooting in the first half. Each team made 10 field goals in the half. Ferrum was +4 on the boards, while JWU committed two fewer turnovers.

JWU would lead by as many as eight points early in the third period before the Panthers closed the stanza on a 13-2 run, bolstered by three 3 point makes to take a 39-38 lead into the fourth. Ferrum's lead grew to five with 7:26 to play before Sydney Wells made back-to-back triples to put JWU back out in front. Ferrum closed to within a point with 53 seconds left, but the Wildcats went 4 of 6 at the charity stripe in the waning seconds, part of a 16 of 20 performance from the line for the game.

De'Ashaj Crawford led the Wildcats with 13 points, while Korletta Daniels added 11. Laylah Toscano recorded 8 points and 10 rebounds.

JWU next travels to Guilford College on Saturday, December 13th for 2:00 PM tipoff.