Balanced Scoring Effort Leads Eagles Over Lions

MARS HILL, N.C.- Carson-Newman rode a balanced scoring effort and a big second half run to a 70-49 victory over Mars Hill in South Atlantic Conference action Wednesday evening at Stanford Arena.

Ten different Eagles scored and a 13-2 second half run helped put the game out of reach. Mars Hill was paced by Ansley Ricker with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting for her eighth-consecutive game in double-figures. Shyra Clark paced C-N with 14 points, six assists, four rebounds and four steals. Mars Hill fell to 3-10 overall and 0-5 in SAC play. Carson-Newman improves to 9-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play.

Autumn Ward added nine points, a career-high eight rebounds and a career-high three assists for the Lions. Erica Warren chipped in with seven points and a season-high seven rebounds. Mars Hill shot 33.3 percent from the field (19-of-57).

Courdne Miles scored 12 points off the bench for the Eagles. Nikki James added eight points and a team-high six rebounds. Carson-Newman held a 42-24 scoring advantage in the paint, scored 37 points off Lion turnovers and had 30 points scored by players coming off the bench.

The Lions started the game hot behind eight straight points from Ricker. A pair of threes and a lay-in by the sophomore helped stake Mars Hill to an 8-5 lead at the 15:14 mark of the first half. Carson-Newman would respond to open up a nine-point lead after an 8-0 run made the score 27-18 with 6:36 to play in the first half. Six of the Eagles' points during the came in the paint, as C-N held a 22-10 advantage in points in the paint in the half.

Defensive pressure from the Eagles led to a later 8-1 run that opened up a 12-point lead. C-N held MHC without a field goal for the final 5:21 of the half, as the Eagles held a 10-3 advantage during that stretch. Eight different Eagles scored the first half as C-N went into the break with a 37-25 lead.

Carson-Newman shot 50 percent overall in the first half (14-of-28). Mars Hill hit 9-of-30 from the field (30 percent).

Mars Hill closed the deficit to five with a 9-2 run to start the second half. Armeka Booker started the second half with a lay-up and later added a free throw. A Ward steal led to a Kelsey Espinosa lay-up, before Ricker banked one in off the glass and Ward took a feed from Erica Warren on the fast break to cut the score to 39-34 with 14:55 to play.

The Eagles immediately answered with a 13-2 run to regain control and put the game out of reach. Clark scored eight during the run on a three, a free throw, a steal and lay-in and another fast-break lay-in. A three by Chante Markus and a lay-in by James provided the rest of the scoring during the run, which ended with the Eagles holding a 52-36 advantage with 9:34 to play. Mars Hill would get no close than 12 the rest of the way.

Mars Hill will travel to Tusculum for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off this Saturday, Jan. 19.