FRANKLIN, Ind. – Down by as many as 14 points in the first half, the Franklin women's basketball team used a gritty, hard-fought showing at both ends of the floor to rally all the way back for a 57-52 win over the Anderson Ravens on Saturday (Feb. 15) afternoon.

The Grizzlies (14-9, 10-6 HCAC) out-scored the Ravens (9-14, 5-11 HCAC) 17-10 in the final quarter, forcing eight turnovers that turned into 10 points over the final 10 minutes of play. Destinee Cross led the Grizzlies in scoring for the second straight game with 14 points while Isabella Ratliff chipped in with a season-high 10 points off the bench.

The win secures the Grizzlies the No. 3-seed in the 2020 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Tournament. It will be the highest seed the Grizzlies have had in the tournament since 2016 when they also earned the third-seed.

The opening period saw the Ravens turn to the long ball to open an 18-4 lead, with the Ravens connecting on four threes in the first seven minutes of play while Franklin went 2-for-12 with four turnovers during that span. Franklin found some momentum over the final three minutes of the opening period and entered the second quarter facing a 22-12 deficit.

In the second period, Franklin attacked the Ravens on the defensive end, erasing the double-digit deficit with an 11-2 run that brought them within a point with four minutes to go in the half. The Grizzlies got back into the game at the line, connecting on nine free throws in the second alone while holding Anderson to just 3-for-13 shooting to make it 31-29 Ravens at the break.

Back-to-back baskets from Britney Ballard and Jenna Cowart opened the second half and gave the Grizzlies their first lead of the day, but Anderson countered with a 9-1 run to take a 40-33 lead with less than three minutes to go in the third quarter. The Grizzlies battle back to tie the game late in the period before a layup at the buzzer spotted Anderson a 42-40 lead going into the final quarter.

Both defenses ensured buckets wouldn't come easy in the final quarter and with two minutes to go, the teams were locked in a 52-52 tie. Off an inbounds play, Cross put the Grizzlies in front for good with a layup and Taylor McDaniel added a fast-break lay-in on the next possession to make it a four-point game. Franklin's defense clutched up late, forcing Anderson to miss all six of their shot attempts in crunch time.

The Grizzlies shot 35.4% (23-for-65) from the floor while holding the Ravens to 33.3% (17-for-51). Bayleigh Walker grabbed a team-high seven rebounds and Ratliff swatted a career-high three shots on the defensive end.

Franklin hits the road for the final time in the regular season on Wednesday (Feb. 19) night, when they travel to Cincinnati, Ohio to meet the Mount St. Joseph Lions at 7:30 p.m.