Mars Hill falls to Catawba to wrap up road trip
The Mars Hill women’s basketball team concluded their three-game road trip with an 80-56 loss to Catawba Saturday afternoon.
SALISBURY, N.C. – The Mars Hill women's basketball team concluded their three-game road trip with an 80-56 loss to Catawba Saturday afternoon.
Catawba's Terri Rogers scored the team's first five points giving the Indians a 5-4 lead with less than six minutes remaining in the opening period. The Indians would score the next seven points to lead by eight before a jumper by Maddie Webb ended the run. Rogers answered back with a layup and made free throw to extend the lead to nine with under two minutes left in the period. The Lions would make a late push, taking five of the next seven points to narrow the deficit to six points entering the second period.
The Lions would be outscored 21-16 with Gabby Gianikos accounting for eight points. Catawba's Serena Brown led the charge for the Indians, shooting 3-of-5 from three-point range and knocking down 11 points. Catawba opened the period on a 6-2 run before the teams started trading baskets in the middle portion of the frame. The teams would each score 10 points in the final half of the period. Catawba carried a 38-27 advantage.
The Indians continued to further their lead in the third period, putting together a 9-2 run in the first five minutes of the stanza. Fourteen of the Catawba's 23 points came from the bench, led by Toni Tucker with five. Webb and Shayla Smith combined for nine of the Lions' 13 third period points.
Trailing by 20 points with 10 minutes remaining in the contest, Mars Hill would battle tough, but ultimately fall 80-56 to Catawba. Gianikos led the Lions with six points in the period while Catawba's Taisha DeShazo matched the output with six of her own.
Rogers led the Indians with 18 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. Brown and DeShazo each ended the contest in double-figures with 15 and 11 points, respectively.
Gianikos finished the game with a team-high 16 points. Smith picked up her second double-double of the season and second in three games with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Webb and Mariah Johnson chipped in 13 and 10 points, respectively.
The Lions have dropped their 16th straight and fall to 1-17 (0-10 SAC). Catawba's win gives them a 9-7 (7-2 SAC) record.
Mars Hill returns home to take on Wingate, Saturday, January 20 inside Chambers Gymnasium. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.
