Offensive rebounds carries Trojans past Lady Eagles 78-65

Offensive rebounds carries Trojans past Lady Eagles 78-65

VIDEO: Mike Mincey Interview

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Anderson Trojans (14-3, 11-2 South Atlantic Conference) corralled 24 offensive rebounds which they converted into 23 second chance points to earn a 78-65 victory over the Carson-Newman Lady Eagles (15-4, 9-4 SAC) Wednesday night at Holt Fieldhouse.

"Part of it, I think and I told them in the locker room, they just out hustled us," Mincey said. "They were going to the glass and getting loose balls. The hustle game is something we need to win especially on our home floor. Honestly, I don't think we brought it early and it just carried over throughout the entire game."

Despite neither side shooting above 38 percent in the first half, the Trojans held its largest lead of the game at that point at 34-27 in large part due to offensive rebounding. Anderson had 13 offensive rebounds that led to 15 second chance points while committing just three turnovers.

Seven Lady Eagles entered the scoring column in the opening stanza led by sophomore guard Kailyn Brooks (Lafayette, Tenn.) who had eight points on 4 of 5 shooting. Nakia Young had eight points and four rebounds to lead Anderson in scoring in the first frame.

Anderson controlled much of the second half. The Lady Eagles trailed by 10 with 6:31 to play in the game when a foul followed by a technical foul made it a six-point game at 60-54. It would be the closest Carson-Newman would get the rest of the way.

The Lady Eagles lost for just the fifth time in 31 games when shooting at least 25 free throws in the Mike Mincey era as his team went 26-for-34 at the line in the game.

"It wasn't very good to start," Mincey said of the offense. "It wasn't until our backs were against the wall down by 10 or more points that you are going to have to drive in there and have to try to create something. At that point, they picked the intensity up on offense and drove it in there and got to the free throw line."

Brooks led the way for Carson-Newman for the third straight game with 13 points and three assists. Senior forward Whitney Kyle (Jefferson City, Tenn.) had 10 points and seven rebounds while freshman forward Jecca Simerly (Talbott, Tenn.) had eight points and nine boards and sophomore forward Kaitlyn Cupples (Clinton, Tenn.) had eight points and six rebounds.

Anderson was led by Jennifer Monroe who poured in a career-high 22 points on 9 of 12 shooting to go along with nine rebounds. Jasmine Franklin had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Madison Floyd tallied 14 points and five boards and Nakia Young finished up a group of four players in double digits with 10 points and four rebounds.

The Lady Eagles take on the Catawba Indians Saturday afternoon at Holt Fieldhouse in a game scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Fans can listen to the game on the Eagle Sports Network's flagship station 106.3 WPFT-FM or watch in high definition by going to cneagles.com/live beginning at 1:45 with "The AEC Countdown to Tip-Off".

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