Sydney Blankenship scored the second-most points by a Berry women's basketball player in the school's D-III era, but the Vikings couldn't quite overcome a 20-point halftime deficit, falling 97-95 to Birmingham-Southern in Southern Athletic Association play Sunday in Birmingham, Ala.

Blankenship finished with 35 points, the most by a Viking since Chanlir Segarra scored 39 against LaGrange in a 103-99 overtime win Nov. 24, 2012. Blankenship had only eight points at halftime, but the Murfreesboro, Tenn., native exploded for 27 in the second half as the Vikings mounted a charge from a 59-39 hole after 20 minutes. Her two free-throws helped Berry tie the game at 78-all with 6:49 left in the fourth quarter, but a 3-pointer by the Panthers gave the hosts back the lead the next possession.

The two teams seemingly traded baskets throughout the fourth quarter after Berry (8-6, 1-2) tied the game. BSC's largest lead down the stretch would be five, 91-86, but the Vikings kept chipping away. The Panthers lead would be just two, 97-95, after a Blankenship basket following a McKenna Lentych offensive rebound. Berry would get three chances to tie the game in the final minute, but all three shots saw the iron be unkind as BSC (8-6, 2-1) held on for the victory.

Kenadie Lee had 17 points for the Vikings in the loss, with Sylvia Kahoro adding 11. Ellie Gearing had a career-best 14 rebounds in the loss, falling one point shy of a double-double.

The Vikings will be back in action in SAA play this Friday against Sewanee. Tip-off at the Cage Center is set for 6 p.m.