Mars Hill Defends the Den on Senior Day versus Catawba
Lions win program-best 13th at home.
MARS HILL, N.C. – Mars Hill women's basketball (16-11, 13-10 SAC) secured a 63-54 win over Catawba (15-10, 13-8 SAC) in a hard-fought contest at Stanford Arena.
The Lions came out strong, outscoring Catawba 24-14 in the opening quarter to seize an early lead. Maddie Gillie led the charge with 14 points, including four three-pointers, while Tateyoina Harris was a force in the paint, posting a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Aaliyah El also contributed with nine points and seven rebounds.
Catawba, despite struggling offensively, kept the game within reach for much of the contest. Janiya Foskey paced the visitors with 10 points and five rebounds, while Mary Spry added nine points. Julie Janus chipped in seven, but Catawba's shooting woes – finishing at just 35.2% from the field and 18.8% from beyond the arc – hindered their ability to close the gap.
A key factor in Mars Hill's victory was their dominance on the boards, outrebounding Catawba 53-28. The Lions capitalized on second-chance opportunities, outscoring Catawba 19-5 in that category. Catawba's struggles continued in the fourth quarter, where they managed only six points, allowing Mars Hill to pull away and seal their 13th home win of the season. The Lions held Catawba to their third lowest scoring effort of the season.
Mars Hill closes out their home slate with a new program best, going 13-2 inside Chambers Gymnasium and Burt Stanford Arena.
Prior to the start of the contest, seniors Maddie Gillie and Naja Ngongba were recognized and celebrated for their contributions to the program.
Mars Hill will face Wingate on Saturday, March 1 in their final regular-season game before the SAC tournament.
