Grand Rapids, Mich. — Despite senior guard Mauriya Barnes going off and scoring a career-high 27 points, the Aquinas women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker, 61-57, to rival Cornerstone on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 4) inside CU's Mol Arena.

The road defeat puts the Saints (10-14, 5-11 WHAC) back on the hot seat in trying to make the WHAC Tournament this season. AQ currently holds the eighth and final spot with Lourdes right behind them at 4-11, and the Gray Wolves hold the first tiebreaker after sweeping AQ in the regular season.

Cornerstone completed its regular season sweep of Aquinas on Saturday to improve to 13-11 overall (12-5 WHAC). Aquinas had won eight straight over the Golden Eagles prior to this season.

CU jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first quarter and led 17-11 at the break. Maddison Fulks scored eight of her team-leading 15 points in the first frame for Cornerstone.

A low-scoring second quarter narrowly went AQ's way, 11-10, and CU went to the locker room up 27-22. The five-point deficit was erased in the third quarter as Barnes scored nine points to help the Saints even the score at 39-39 going into the final 10 minutes.

AQ guard Brighton Miller knocked down a 3-pointer with six minutes remaining to put the Saints up one, 48-47. It was the third time Aquinas had taken the lead after trailing the entire first half.

After a pair of free throws were made by Barnes, Olivia Kubik drew the Golden Eagles level again at 50-50 with a little over four minutes to play. Kubik's first made bucket of the game was not to be overshadowed by her second make a minute and a half later — another triple to give CU a 54-50 lead.

The Saints never managed to get the game back within one possession from that point on.

Barnes capped her great performance in the loss by making a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make the final score more respectable looking at 61-57. She tied AQ's season-high in points scored, matching Isabel Reemsnyder's 27 points against Indiana Northwest on Nov. 5.

Barnes nearly doubled her previous high for points scored in a game at AQ (14, achieved twice — once in the 2022-23 season-opener against Governors State and in a conference game last year against Lourdes).

JaKarri Alven and Miller each scored seven to supplement Barnes. Emily Cline grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds and provided five points. Reemsnyder also chipped in with five points.

Aquinas shot 31.7% from the floor, slightly worse than CU's 33.8%. The Saints also went 4-for-18 from behind the arc and missed six free throws (13-for-19). Points they would have liked to have back.

There are four games left in the regular season — three on the road and the Saints' own Senior Day against No. 12-ranked Indiana Tech. First up, an away trip to UM-Dearborn on Wednesday (Feb. 8) against the Wolverines. Tipoff scheduled for 5:30 p.m.