Hickory, N.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Basketball Team (17-6, 9-5) scored the game's final 20 points to take a 74-61 win over Carson-Newman (13-9, 7-7) in a South Atlantic Conference contest Saturday afternoon at Shuford Memorial Gymnasium.
L-R junior guard Whitley Culler (Mount Airy, N.C.) led the Bears with a team-high 18 points while sophomore guard Danielle Bongiorno (Wilmington, N.C.) added a career-high 17 points and three treys as Lenoir-Rhyne moved into a second-place tie in the league standings with Wingate and Tusculum.
Carson-Newman's Zoriah Williams (Calera, Ala.) led all scorers with 22 points including 21 after halftimE despite the loss.
However, Williams was the only Eagle to score in double figures and Carson-Newman turned the ball over 23 times in the loss.
Trailing 61-54 with 5:36 remaining, Bongiorno started the 20-0 run with a three-pointer and had eight points during the span to key the Bears' drive.
Lenoir-Rhyne also hit 29-of-35 attempts (83 percent) from the free throw line including 92 percent (23-of-25) in the second half in the win.
Senior guard Cameron Sealey (Mount Holly, N.C.) and junior guard Caroline Laughter (Hickory, N.C.) added 14 and 12 points, respectively, for the Bears, who swept the season series from the Eagles.
Lenoir-Rhyne remains at home to face first-place Catawba in a key league game while Carson-Newman plays at Mars Hill. Both South Atlantic Conference games are scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m., on Wednesday.