Lions Beat Catamounts

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -The Lions' women's basketball team defeated NCAA Division I rival Western Carolina University, 56-51 Friday night in the Ramsey Center. Tyler Carlson scored a game high 21 points and hit a 3-pointer to seal the win for the Lions.

Overall, Western Carolina never seemed to get in sync. The Catamounts looked to have the game in hand, with a 12-point lead, 16-4, with 10:38 left in the first half. Mars Hill, however, had other plans as in the ensuing eight minutes the Lions went on a 15-3 run to tie the game at 19 with 1:43.

Mars Hill took its first lead of the game when the Lions' Jackie Simon hit a jumper and was fouled. Simon hit the free throw, putting Mars Hill up 22-19. Lane cut the Mars Hill lead to one, 22-21, when she hit a lay-up with three seconds left in the half, getting a dish from senior forward Caitlin Hollifield.

The Lions poured it on in the second half, shooting a near scorching 48.1 percent in the final 20 minutes of the game. Mars Hill connected on five three-pointers in the second half to help it pull ahead from the one point lead it held onto at the half.

Mars Hill opened the second half with a three-pointer by Erica Warren and the Lions never looked back. The Lions built a 10-point lead, 34-24, early in the second half and Western Carolina played catch-up for the remainder of the game. Twice Mars Hill built its largest lead of the contest, 11, and was up 49-38 with 5:25 left.

Western Carolina attempted a comeback, which began with a steal by Janae' McKinney and a lay-up by Rena Wakma. The score began a 9-0 run by the Catamounts, chiseling the Mars Hill lead to two, 49-47, with 3:09 left.

Mars Hill showed its resilience, with an answer for almost every basket the Catamounts connected on. Western Carolina did make the game interesting with one minute left, when Wakama was fouled and hit two free throws to tie the game at 51.

Tyler Carlson iced the game for Mars Hill when she hit a three-pointer with 45 seconds remaining , giving Mars Hill a 54-51 lead. The game was out of reach for Western Carolina when Danielle Tucker was fouled, hit both free throws, giving the Lions a five point lead, 56-51.

McKinney was the only other Catamount player to hit double figures, with 11 points. Hollifield, along with Lane, topped the team in rebounds with eight. Mars Hills' Carlson led all scorers with 21 points. Armeka Booker notched a double-double for Mars Hill with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Freshman guard Ali Lane had a rousing debut on the Ramsey Center court leading the Catamounts with 14 points and tied for most rebounds with eight. Lane was 6-of-8 from the field, draining one three pointer, and 4-of-4 from the free throw line.