BUENA VISTA, VA. -- Sophomore Courtney Collins scored 19 points and freshman Shanae Hilliard added 12 as the Apprentice School held off a late Southern Virginia University rally for a key 58-54 U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association victory on Wednesday night.

That win was the third time that the Apprentice School (19-1) has knocked off Southern Virginia in the Knights Arena affectionately known as "The Barn" in the last 10 years.  They won in 2008, the first season for current head coach Lanica Williams-Tallon and prior to that it was in 2003.

A closely fought first half saw neither team hold more than a three-point advantage.  A Collins layup with 6:22 left gave the Lady Builders their three-point lead at 22-19.  SVU scored six of the next seven points to take a 25-23 lead on a Nicole Baker jumper with 1:18 left, before the Lady Builders tied the game for the eighth time in the half on an Ashley Johnson jumper with 56 seconds left.  Collins gave the guests a 27-25 lead at the half with a jumper at the halftime buzzer.

In the second half, the Lady Builders showed the first signs of trying to pull away as they got a 10-point advantage on a Hilliard 3-point play with 11:!4 left to lead 42-32.  That lead bumped up to 11 points with 6:38 left as Danita Whitaker drained a jumper to go up 50-39.  The Knights made a dash as they worked the lead down to 56-52 on a jumper from Abigail Logan with 1:38 left.  Collins answered with a layup 16 seconds later to lead 58-52.  The Knights had three chances in the last 42 seconds but didn't connect to allow Apprentice School to take the win.

Collins paced the Lady Builders with 19 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots while Hilliard added 12 points and three steals.  The Lady Builders were 23-of-55 from the floor (41.8%), hit 12-of-19 from the foul line (62.2%) including 7-of-9 in the second half and out-rebounded the Knights 33-29.  SVU was topped by Baker with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Apprentice School returns home to go for their 20^th win of the year on Saturday at 1 pm when they take on Bennett College.