JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The fourth-seeded Carson-Newman Lady Eagles (16-13, 12-10 South Atlantic Conference) women's basketball team defeated the fifth-seeded Catawba Lady Indians (14-13, 12-10 South Atlantic Conference) by a score of 82-68 in the quarterfinals of the 2014 Food Lion SAC Women's Basketball Championship at Holt Fieldhouse on Wednesday evening.

The win advances Carson-Newman to the semifinals of the conference tournament, and the Lady Eagles will face the top-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne Bears at Timmons Arena in Greenville, S.C., on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

"We kind of got off to a slow start but then we put the ball in the basket, got to 39 points at the half, then shot 60 percent from the field in the second half," said Carson-Newman head coach Mike Mincey. "Just a great defensive effort and an even better offensive effort."

Sophomore Jai Jai McLaughlin (Knoxville, Tenn.) recorded the second triple-double of her career and this season by scoring 11 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out 12 assists. McLaughlin also had a triple-double at Tusculum against the Pioneers on Jan. 22.

"I don't know how many people have had two triple-doubles in one year," Mincey said. "She played really hard, and she guarded their best player the majority of the game. Hats off to Jai Jai she played a heck of a ballgame."

Carson-Newman was led in scoring by the 16 points of junior Lashawnda Peacher (Springfield, Tenn.), and she was joined in double figures by the 12 points of SAC Freshman of the Year Kaitlyn Cupples (Clinton, Tenn.), the 11 points of McLaughlin and sophomore Tatum Burstrom (Maryville, Tenn.), as well as the 10 points off the bench from junior Jassmine Franklin (Lexington, Ky.).

The Lady Eagles scored the game's first four points, but most of the first half would be back-and-forth between the Lady Eagles and Lady Indians. In the first half there were three ties, and 12 lead changes before Carson-Newman took control of the game.

After trailing Catawba 21-20 with 6:58 remaining, the Lady Eagles unleashed a 14-2 run that was keyed by a pair of Burstrom 3-pointers. The run put Carson-Newman's lead at 34-23 with 3:24 to go, and the Lady Eagles carried a 39-27 lead into halftime.

While the Lady Eagles didn't score their first field goal until the 13-minute mark of the second half, Carson-Newman maintained its large lead thanks mainly to solid free throw shooting. Catawba would never get closer than eight points to Carson-Newman in the second half, as the Lady Eagles shot 60 percent from the field in the second period.

Junior Lacy Miller (Dandridge, Tenn.) hit a pair of critical 3-pointers in the second half to grow the Carson-Newman lead and served as benchmarks for the Lady Eagle win. Both Carson-Newman and Catawba played reserve players in the final minutes, as the Lady Eagles won by 14.

Carson-Newman shot 50 percent (27-for-54) from the field in the game, and the Lady Eagles had 21 assists compared to 13 turnovers.

Carson-Newman will now prepare for Saturday's seminfinal game against top-seeded L-R at 4:30 p.m.

Saturday's tournament game will be carried on the Eagle Sports Network's flagship station WPFT-FM 106.3 FM, with coverage beginning at 4:15 p.m. with "The Countdown to Tipoff," and live audio is also available on www.cneagles.com.