Women’s Basketball Wins at Newberry

February 1, 2012
Box score

NEWBERRY, S.C. - Mars Hill defeated Newberry College, 60-52 on the road at Eleazer Arena Wednesday evening. The Lions improved to 11-9 overall and 4-7 in the South Atlantic Conference.

Danielle Tucker scored 16 points and pulled down eight rebounds to lead MHC. Taylor Deal followed with 10 points and eight boards.

Despite a 16-point performance by Neicey Lewis, the Wolves were unable to overcome a slow start as the Mars Hill Lions led wire-to-wire and defeated Newberry 60-52.

Mars Hill capitalized on a rough opening half by the Wolves (12-7, 7-4) to jump out to a 10-point lead 14 six minutes into the Wednesday evening match-up. Newberry's struggles continued as with 9:06 remaining in the half the Wolves trailed by 18 to the Lions.

Newberry cut into the Mars Hill lead on baskets by Haylee Lepaio, Kendra Brown and Lewis. The Wolves narrowed the margin to 10 points, before a pair of Danielle Tucker layups in the final minute sent Mars Hill to the locker room with a 14-point lead.

Lepaio led the wolves with nine points at halftime and five rebounds. Lewis tallied eight points and two steals at half. In the first half the Wolves were a perfect seven-for-seven from the free throw line.

The Wolves battled throughout the second half cutting the Lions lead to single digits over ten minutes into the second half. With seven minutes remaining in the game Lewis' layup put the Wolves behind by eight points.

Newberry eventually cut the Lions lead down to five with 1:02 on the clock, as Lewis corralled a rebound and drove the length of the court for a layup. The remaining minute of the game saw points scored only from the free throw line, with the Lions outscoring the Wolves 4-1 to escape with an eight-point victory.

Lewis led the Wolves with 16 points and eight rebounds. Lepaio scored 13 points and added eight boards of her own. Lewis and Brown both recorded three steals, and Brown finished the evening with 11 points.

Mars Hill will host Anderson University on Saturday. Game time is set for 2 p.m.