JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Catawba Indians (11-8, 8-6 South Atlantic Conference) shot 51 percent in the second half and overcame an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat the Carson-Newman Lady Eagles (15-5, 9-5 SAC) 87-78 Saturday afternoon at Holt Fieldhouse.
"You score 78 points and expect to win the game," Mincey said. "You don't expect to give up 68 points in the second half. Catawba is a good team with good athletes and good scorers. Our kids are going to continue to battle."
Catawba jumped out to a 7-2 lead before the Lady Eagles responded with a promptly answered with a 10-0 run to take a lead that they would hold the rest of the first half.
The Indians shot 20 percent in the opening frame by making just 7 of 35 field goal attempts that included a streak where they converted just 2-for-23 over a 13 minute stretch. Catawba turned the ball over just five times and went 11-for-14 from the free throw line in the half.
Carson-Newman shot 45 percent in the first half as all 10 players to play scored led by junior guard Tatum Burstrom (Maryville, Tenn.) who had eight points and three assists. Sophomore forward Kaitlyn Cupples (Clinton, Tenn.) had seven points, eight rebounds and two blocks in the first half.
The second half was the antithesis of the opening 20 minutes as the Indians blitzed the Lady Eagles for 60 points that included the Indians going 19 of 22 at the free throw line.
Catawba took its first lead since 7-5 at 59-58 with 10:40 to play, but the Lady Eagles punched back with a 7-0 spurt to seemingly regain control. A 12-0 run by the visiting group over the next four minutes put the Indians ahead by six as the Lady Eagles pulled within a single possession on just one occasion before the Indians closed out the game.
"I like the team effort in the first half," head coach Mike Mincey said. "I thought the energy was good and obviously we played pretty well. Then we came out in the second half and for whatever reason they scored a little bit and we were scoring with them. Ultimately we we started turning the ball over that we lost our lead and they kept scoring baskets."
Carson-Newman turned the ball over 23 times that led to 30 points by Catawba, 21 of which came in the second half of the game.
Cupples led the way with 14 points, eight rebounds and four blocks while Burstrom had 12 points, a career-high six assists and four rebounds.
Jada Huntley and Chloe Bully became the first opposing duo to score 20 points in the same game against Carson-Newman since December 3, 2013 when Lee had a pair of players reach that mark.
The Lady Eagles begin a stretch of five of six games on the road Wednesday night at Lincoln Memorial for a 6 p.m. start time. Pregame coverage begins at 5:45 with "The AEC Countdown to Tip-Off" on the Eagle Sports Network's flagship station, 106.3 WPFT-FM.
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