JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman Lady Eagles broke open a close game in the second half with a 20-4 run to top visiting Newberry, 62-51, in South Atlantic Conference action on Saturday afternoon in Holt Fieldhouse.
C-N improves to 14-10 on the year and 8-8 in SAC play. Newberry falls to 13-11 and 8-8 in the league. The win by Carson-Newman puts the two teams in a three-way tie for fifth in league play with Lincoln Memorial.
The Lady Eagles held Newberry to 28 percent shooting for the game and to just one field goal over an eight-minute stretch of the second half during their decisive run.
The lead went back-and-forth during a tight first half.
C-N held a brief five-point lead at 19-14 with just over seven minutes to play in the half after Zoriah Williams and Shannon Depew combined for six-straight points, but Newberry answered to retake the lead on a three-pointer by Zara Pearson with just over four minutes to play in the half, giving the Wolves a 20-19 lead.
Neither team led by more than two until Courdne Miles converted a three-point play at the 16-minute mark of the second half to give C-N a 31-26 lead, but Newberry again answered.
Guard Neicey Lewis ripped off 10-straight points for the Wolves. She buried a three-pointer with 13 minutes left to give her team the lead at 36-35.
The C-N defense would respond to the Newberry surge in a big way.
The Wolves would manage only just four points over the next nine minutes as C-N began to make plays on both ends of the floor.
A three-pointer from Depew and a pair of transition buckets by senior Lundyn Howard fueled the Lady Eagles' spurt.
Senior guard Megan Hunter added a three-pointer and Depew followed with a runner in the lane as Carson-Newman put the game out of reach, leading 55-40 with five minutes to play.
Sophomore Rechelle Dye connected on 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to put the game away.
C-N held Newberry to 7-of-27 (25 percent in the second half. The Wolves stayed close connecting on all 10 of their free throw attempts in the half.
The Lady Eagles shot 54 percent (13-of-24) in the second half to take command.
Williams led the Lady Eagles with 16 points and seven rebounds. She was 7-of-12 from the floor.
Depew added a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 boards.
Lewis led all scorers with 24 points on 6-of-15 shooting. Haylee Lepaio added 12 for the Wolves, but was 5-of-19 from the floor.
Carson-Newman also had a season-low 11 turnovers in the slow-paced game.
The Lady Eagles return to action on Wednesday night against Lincoln Memorial in their 2012 home finale. Tipoff is at 6 p.m.
