JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The Carson-Newman Lady Eagles basketball team (10-5, 4-4 South Atlantic Conference) fell to the Catawba Lady Indians (9-7, 5-3 South Atlantic Conference) by a 66-58 score at Holt Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.

The loss is Carson-Newman's first at home this season, and the loss drops the Lady Eagles to 4-4 in conference play.

"It was a really important conference game, certainly being at home," said Carson-Newman head coach Mike Mincey. "We knew it was going to be a battle and a challenge against Catawba who came in ready to play. I've got to give credit to them because they took it to us early and then in the second half and I don't know how well we responded. I was so frustrated with our own performance. We just don't take care of the basketball, throwing it around everywhere. We made bad decisions."

Carson-Newman was led in scoring by junior forward Shyra Clark (Cleveland, Tenn.) with her 13 points, as she was 6-of-15 shooting from the field. She now leads the Lady Eagles by averaging 12.9 points per game in conference play.

After Catawba led for much of the first half, Carson-Newman finished the first 20 minutes on a 7-2 run to lead at halftime 28-24. Tatum Burstrom (Maryville, Tenn.) and Nikki James (Cookeville, Tenn.) led the Lady Eagles in first-half scoring, both scoring five for Carson-Newman.

Catawba got off to a hot start in the second half with a 14-2 run to take a 40-30 lead with 14:35 to play. The Lady Eagles answered with an 11-2 run to get back within two points at 43-41 with 10:17 to play. After the game was tied at 45, Carson-Newman took a 47-45 lead thanks to a Whitney Moody (Blountville, Tenn.) left-side layup with 8:55 to play.

The Lady Indians got the lead back and put the game out of reach with an 11-2 run to take a 56-49 lead with 2:43 left in the contest. Carson-Newman saw three-pointers from Burstom and Lacy Miller (Dandridge, Tenn.) down the stretch, but the Lady Eagles couldn't cut the deficit to under six points, and Catawba held on for the 66-58 victory.

Mincey collected two second-half technical fouls, his second ejecting him from the game with 14.8 seconds left to play. Catawba was led in scoring by Elizabeth Merritt's 25 points, and she was joined in double figures by Chloe Bully (17) and Quanesia Coleman (13).

Carson-Newman will next play on Wednesday Jan. 30 on the road at Brevard at 6 p.m. Coverage of the game is available on the Coca-Cola Eagle Sports Network, beginning with the Farm Bureau Countdown to Tipoff at 5:45 p.m. and the broadcast is also available on www.cneagles.com.