CHICAGO – JayShari Chears led four Lakers in double figures with a game-high 21 points, but the Roosevelt women's basketball team came up just short in a 78-77 loss to visiting Trinity International inside the Goodman Center on Saturday.

Ashley Smoldt came up one assist shy of a triple-double with 18 points, 13 rebounds and nine dimes, while Lindzy Cox approached double-double territory with 19 points and nine boards for the Lakers (7-19, 6-12 CCAC).

Tanea White added 10 points, connecting three times from three-point territory.

Chears added eight boards and a couple of blocks for a big effort from the 5-foot-5 senior guard.

Taylor Hibicke matched Chears with 21 points, while Alina Jahnke added 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Trojans (16-10, 10-8 CCAC).

The two sides engaged in a tight affair that saw each team trade strong quarters. TIU got off to a strong opening period, while Roosevelt responded with a stellar second quarter. The Lakers shot 64 percent (9-for-14) and finished the stanza with a go-ahead three-pointer by White before the halftime horn sounded, giving RU a two-point lead heading into the break.

Trinity International shot 53 percent in the third to go up by as many as nine points and take a six-point lead into the fourth.

Roosevelt battled back, shooting 53 percent in the fourth and getting within three on a Smoldt bucket halfway through the quarter.

TIU built its lead back up to eight, but the Lakers had one last run that saw them get within one thanks to Cox's clutch corner three with 31.7 seconds left in regulation.

The Lakers attempted one last defensive stand to try and get a final-second shot, but the Trojans were able to let the clock run to a point in which Roosevelt could not get possession and, thus, time ran out on Roosevelt's rally.

Roosevelt heads to Gary, Ind. to face Indiana Northwest this Wednesday evening.

Ashley Smoldt dribbles against TIU during her near-triple-double. (Photo: Danny Carlino)