Marshall's career high leads Lions past Queens in season opener
The Mars Hill women's basketball team (1-0, 1-0 SAC) opened their 2020-21 season with a thrilling 83-78 win over Queens (0-1, 0-1 SAC) Tuesday evening inside Chamber Gymnasium.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill women's basketball team (1-0, 1-0 SAC) opened their 2020-21 season with a thrilling 83-78 win over Queens (0-1, 0-1 SAC) Tuesday evening inside Chamber Gymnasium.
Senior De'Ja Marshall topped her career high with 33 points and collected 15 rebounds on the night leading the Lions past Queens.
The Lions led Queens 64-50 entering the final 10 minutes of play, but the Royals showed fight, going on an 11-0 run to cut the deficit to three points with less than eight minutes to play. Kristian Eanes scored six during the run. Moments later, Queens took their first lead since the first quarter, as free throw makes by Kristy Hamze put the Royals up 67-66 with 6:14 left. A three-pointer by Kalaya Hall bumped the lead up to four.
With under three minutes to play, Marshall led the comeback for Mars Hill, scoring four straight points to regain the lead. Tied at 76 with 1:50 left in the contest, layups from Marshall and Alexis Pardue pushed the Lions' lead to four. Kyla Daniels, in the waning moments, knocked down both free throws to put the Lions up by five and secure their season opening win.
Eanes had 13 points for the Royals in the final frame while Marshall led the Lions with 11.
Following a tightly contest 14-13 first quarter, the Lions ballooned their lead to 14 points entering the half. In the second quarter, Marshall went 3-of-5 from the floor for nine points, leading all players. Chandler Adams added five off the bench while both Pardue and Drew McMillan recorded four apiece.
The third quarter saw a fiery Queens squad led by Hamze's nine points and Eanes added eight, scoring 17 of the team's 24 points in the stanza. Marshall repeated her output from the second, netting nine, while Hannah Chandler drained both three-point opportunities she took, adding six points.
Hamze led the way for the Royals, scoring 23 while adding three steals and three assists. Eanes and Hall both netted 21 points apiece.
Marshall led all players with 33 points and 15 rebounds. Pardue added 10 off the bench while Daniels scored eight in her debut.
The Lions return to the court on Saturday, December 12 when they take on Wingate on the road. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
