AUGUSTA, Ga.
– A 26-4 run that covered 10 minutes in the first half set
the tone for No. 22 Carson-Newman (11-0) as the Lady Eagles
defeated Augusta State (1-10) by a 76-46 score Wednesday afternoon
at Christenberry Fieldhouse. With the victory, the Lady Eagles have
won seven straight games on the road.
C-N concludes the bulk of its non-conference schedule with a 6-0
mark against Peach Belt Conference schools, five of those wins
coming away from Holt Fieldhouse. The Lady Eagles also swept the
season series 2-0 and outscored the Lady Jaguars by a 176-110
margin in the two contests.
The two sides traded baskets for the first three and a half
minutes to make the score 7-5 in favor of Augusta State.
Carson-Newman then scored 26 of the next 30 points to break the
game open and never looked back as it extended its lead to 24
points at the half (49-25).
“We came out flat to begin with, but that can be
expected after not playing for 11 days,” said Head Coach
Dean Walsh. “We are back in decent game
shape although rhythm as a team was an issue at
times.”
The Lady Eagles kept the momentum to start the second half
outscoring the Lady Jags 16-7 in the first 7:52 of the period.
After C-N pressed its lead to 30, it would lead by no less than
that amount with the biggest advantage coming with 3:51 left to go
in the contest at 76-39.
Augusta State closed the final margin to 30, scoring the final
seven points of the contest.
Carson-Newman shot 49.3 percent (33-for-67) for the game and hit
six three pointers while Augusta State was 19-for-47 from the floor
(40.4 %).
“We are starting to shoot better from the
perimeter,” added Walsh. “We did a good job
converting turnovers to points (33 points off turnovers) and did a
good job rebounding. Our defensive effort was good and we ran the
floor well. We knocked the rust off tonight and that’s what
we needed to do.”
Senior guard Ashley Kyle (Jefferson City, Tenn.)
led all scorers with 15 points and added four assists, three
rebounds and three steals while senior forward Shari
Buford (Hampton, Ga.) posted a double-double (12 points
and 10 rebounds) with four steals and three blocks as well.
Freshman guard Candis Clear (Memphis, Tenn.)
added 12 points while sophomore forward Zoriah
Williams (Calera, Ala.) had 10 points as well. Junior
guard Mandy Mendenhall (Kingston Springs, Tenn.)
had six points, eight assists and four rebounds.
Kirsten Stallings (Memphis, Tenn.) had 10 points and five rebounds
and Brittany Jarrard (Dacula, Ga.) posted seven points while Eboni
Davis (Hopkins, S.C.) added seven assists.
"We have to play a very disciplined Newberry team on
Saturday,” concluded Walsh. “We have our work
cut out for us in our first home game in over a
month.”
Carson-Newman returns to the court on Saturday when it takes on
Newberry to start the brunt of the South Atlantic Conference
season. The Lady Eagles will hit the court at 2:00 p.m.
-Joe Matthews, C-N Sports Information
