Mars Hill snaps losing streak with thrilling victory over Queens

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Mars Hill women's basketball team snapped their 23-game losing streak with a nail biting 80-79 victory over Queens on the road. Mariah Johnson and Cierra Hampton each led the Lions with 20 points.

Entering the fourth period with a 61-47 lead, Queens dominated play, outscoring the Lions 32-19 in the final 10 minutes. Trailing 69-54, the Royals on a 10-0 run to cut the lead to single digits for the first since the midway point of the first period. Relying on the fifth leading scorer in the South Atlantic Conference, Lade Adepoju led the way for the Royals, scoring 13 of the game-high 26 in the fourth.

With 17 seconds remaining, Caitlin Moore went to the line for two free throws. She hit the first to pull within one point, but missed the second. Johnson hit two clutch free throws to regain the three-point lead. A timeout from Queens enabled the Royals to run a play down low to Adepoju for the easy lay-in with 13 seconds remaining. A turnover on the ensuing possession from the Lions along with a jumpball advantage favoring Queens, the Royals had an opportunity at the buzzer to complete the improbable comeback. Ceara Levai's 3-point attempt went wide of the basket, allowing Mars Hill to cling on to the victory.

Late in the first period, Mars Hill led 18-13 and strung together a 9-2 run to end the frame. Early in the second, a layup from Kristian Eanes stopped momentum momentarily for Mars Hill. Following the basket, the Lions would reel off nine straight to lead 40-17 with 7:27 left in the half. A resilient Queens team battled back, taking 17 of the next 25 points to head into the half down 48-34.

Mars Hill shot 6-of-8 from beyond the arc and 19-of-33 from the field in the opening 20 minutes. Johnson and Hampton had 13 and 10 points, respectively, at the end of the first half.

The third stanza saw both teams struggle from the field with both teams shooting under 40 percent and only amassing 13 points each.

Hampton set a new career-high for the Lions with her 20 points, nine better than her previous mark. Valeriya Pokrovskaya also set a career-high with 17 points. Alexus Grubbs added 13 points, shooting 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.

McNeese and Eanes finished the game in double-figures with 16 and 12 points.

Mars Hill advances to 2-24 and picks up their first South Atlantic Conference victory (1-17). Queens falls to 4-20 (1-17 SAC).

The Lions return to Stanford Arena on Monday, February 19 with a contest against Newberry. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.