Women's Basketball Loses at Carson-Newman
Mars Hill lost to Carson-Newman 87-68 in South Atlantic Conference women’s basketball action Saturday afternoon at Holt Fieldhouse
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Mars Hill lost to Carson-Newman 87-68 in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball action Saturday afternoon at Holt Fieldhouse. The Lions dropped to 3-8 overall and 2-4 in the league. The Eagles improved to 9-3 on the season and an even 3-3 in the SAC.
Three players scored in double figures for the Lions in the game. Genice Lane led the way with 15 points followed by Cadence Wilmoth with 13 and Paige Chavis with 12. Lane added a team high six rebounds as well. MHU shot 47.2% (25-53) from the floor and 50% (4-8) from 3-point range. These numbers were the second best shooting percentages the Lions have had so far this season. Mars Hill connected on 70% (14-20) of their attempts at the foul line. The teams combined for 42 turnovers in the contest.
Kailyn Brooks led the Eagles with 20 points followed by Brianna Smith with 14 points. Katie Stubblefield and Kayla Newman came off the bench to score 13 points apiece. C-N hit 53.6% (30-56) of their field goal attempts, 42.9% (9-21) of their shots from behind the arc and 94.7% (18-19) at the charity stripe. The Eagles out rebounded the Lions 33-19 and received 45 points from their bench.
The Lions started the game on a 15-2 run to take their largest lead of the game with 5:58 left in the first quarter after Lane scored in the paint. The Eagles responded with a 16-1 run to trim the Lions' lead to just two points (18-16) after Cupples hit a pair of free throws with three seconds on the clock in the opening period.
A 3-pointer by Chavis with 9:16 left in the second quarter gave MHU a five point lead (21-16). C-N then outscored the Lions 22-1 over the next seven minutes to take a 16 point lead (41-25) after Brooks hit a 3-pointer. Two free throws by Brooks would end the scoring in the first half and send the teams into the locker room at the break with C-N ahead, 43-27.
The Lions could not get any closer in the third frame. C-N extended their lead to 30 points at the 3:40 mark after Smith hit two foul shots. The third stanza ended with the Eagles leading 64-37.
The Eagles led by as many as 33 points (75-42) with 5:53 left in regulation after Jai Jai McLaughlin hit a 3-pointer. Mars Hill cut the Eagles lead to 19 points on two occasions down the stretch but that was as close as they would get.
Mars Hill will host SAC foe Lincoln Memorial on Wednesday, January 6. Tip-off in Stanford Arena is set for 6 p.m.
