Women's Basketball Defeats Queens
The Lions’ women’s basketball team defeated SAC foe Queens 71-50 in South Atlantic Conference women’s basketball action Saturday afternoon in Stanford Arena
MARS HILL, N.C. – The Lions' women's basketball team defeated SAC foe Queens 71-50 in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball action Saturday afternoon in Stanford Arena. Mars Hill improved to 3-7 overall and 2-3 in the league. The Royals fell to 2-8 on the year, 0-5 in the SAC.
Ansley Ricker and Paige Chavis led the Lions scoring 14 and 13 points in the win, respectively. Chavis added six rebounds and the same number of assists. Shakira Allen scored 11 points off the bench while Cadence Wilmoth tallied 10 points. Kelsey Espinosa controlled the boards for the Lions as she pulled down a game high 10 rebounds. As a team, MHU outrebounded the Royals, 46-29 while setting a new season high for steals in a contest with 14. The Lions scored 23 points off Queens' turnovers, scored 14 second chance points and received 21 points from their bench. Mars Hill hit 75.9% (22-29) of their shots at the foul line.
The first quarter was closely played. Wilmoth gave the Lions a 10-8 lead at the 1:47 mark after hitting a layup and the Lions would lead the remainder of the contest.
The Lions began the second quarter on a 15-8 run to lead by nine points (25-16) with 5:10 left in the first half after Chavis nailed a 3-pointer. Queens trimmed the Lions' advantage to seven points on two occasion in the final minutes of the opening half but a layup by Espinosa with 58 seconds left in the second quarter sent the teams into the locker room at the break ahead 29-20.
After leading by 11 points (35-24) with 6:46 left in the third quarter, Queens outscored the Lions 9-2 to cut the deficit to just four points (37-33) with 4:58 left in the period after Victoria Robinson scored inside. The Lions answered with a 12-3 run of their own to extend their lead to 13 points (49-36) with 2:46 on the clock after Espinosa hit a shot in the lane. A 3-pointer by Ricker with seven seconds left in the third stanza gave the Lions a 54-42 lead heading into the final quarter of play.
Mars Hill scored seven unanswered points to begin the fourth quarter and take a 19-point lead (61-42) with 8:26 left in the contest after Allen hit a layup. The Lions would maintain a comfortable lead the remainder of the contest.
Mars Hill will return to action on Wednesday, December 30, when they will play an exhibition game at USC Upstate. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m.