COLUMBUS, Ga. – Carson-Newman had four players reach double figures in scoring Friday as it defeated Georgia College by a 71-60 score in the Jack Hughston Thanksgiving Classic on the campus of Columbus State University.

“I am tremendously happy with the way we played tonight,” said ninth-year head coach Dean Walsh after the game. “Our defense was terrific and we forced a team that normally only commits 12 turnovers into committing 23 tonight. We did a great job rebounding and limited their posts to only one offensive rebound.”

The Bobcats got out to a 9-6 lead just 2:48 into the contest and the Lady Eagles responded with a 6-0 run to go up 12-9. The two teams exchanged points before C-N junior forward Shari Buford (Hampton, Ga.) made a layup with 10:43 to go in the first half to put the Lady Eagles up for good.

Carson-Newman led by as much as seven points in the first half and carried a 38-33 advantage into the half.

After the break, the Lady Eagles went on an 8-2 run over the first 4:10 of the period for an 11-point advantage. C-N would go ahead by 15 with 1:38 left in the contest before four straight points by Georgia College to end the game closed the margin to the final 71-60 count.

“We once again played hard missing two of our starting players,” continued Walsh. “Any win against Georgia College is well earned since they are always a tough team, but my hat is off to our players for stepping up to the challenge.”

Carson-Newman was led by junior guard Mandy Mendenhall (Kingston Springs, Tenn.) with 20 points and she added four rebounds and four assists while Buford chipped in 16 points eight rebounds and four blocks.

Lady Eagle freshman guard Candis Clear (Memphis, Tenn.) had 14 points and six rebounds while sophomore forward Zoriah Williams (Calera, Ala.) recorded 12 points and eight rebounds.

Georgia College was led offensively by Mandi Dudish and Tammeisha Law as they tallied 12 and 10 points, respectively.

“We have to come back and play a tough Columbus State team tomorrow which features Phoebe Smith, who is one of the best posts in the country,” concluded Walsh. “If we can shoot as well as we did today from the two and the free throw line and play tough defense, we have the opportunity to do well.”

Carson-Newman will face host school Columbus State Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. in day two of the Hughston Classic.