JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Braelyn Wykle led all scorers with an efficient 29 points and Carson-Newman won the battle on the glass in a 75-62 victory over Anderson Wednesday evening at Holt Fieldhouse in South Atlantic Conference play.
"She's from South Greene," Carson-Newman coach Mike Mincey said. "She is as tough as nails. We are just glad it was just a cramp. I had no doubt she would come back in the game and make some big plays for us. A kid like that, you know she is putting in extra time. She probably needs to get a few more fluids in her before we play. She is a warrior and stepped up when we needed her to."
Wykle finished a point shy of a career high chipping in five rebounds and three assists. The Greeneville, Tenn. native made 10 of her 19 shots from the field adding a trio of triples.
Carson-Newman (2-0, 2-0) snapped a four-game losing skid to Anderson (3-2, 3-2), three of which came by a single possession producing a double-digit lead for a 12th game in a row.
The visitors entered the game second in the league with 45 rebounds per night as the Lady Eagles won the battle on the glass 43-38. Seven different players snatched down at least four rebounds.
"They have always been a great rebounding team particularly on the offensive end," Mincey said. "We outrebounded them in the first half on the offensive end. Our halfcourt defense was good. We didn't press a lick the whole game which goes against what we normally do. They bought into the game plan and I am proud of how a lot of players stepped up tonight."
Addison Byrd (Nashville, Tenn.) registered 17 points, five rebounds and three steals. Harli Smith (Jamestown, Tenn.) added 13 points and seven boards. Overall, Carson-Newman led for 36:08 of the game.
"I didn't want to overshoot," Byrd said. "I wanted to stay in position, play my game and not force stuff. When we go inside, there is a better chance of me having an outside shot. I just wanted to stay in my game and do my part."
The Trojans scored six of the first eight points of the game before failing to score a point in over three minutes. C-N used a 10-0 surge capped by a stickback by Qua Hines (Sevierville, Tenn.) to take a 12-6 edge. Each team used a spurt over the final five minutes of the period. After a 7-0 Anderson run, the Lady Eagles rattled off a 10-2 burst to go ahead 22-15 after 10 minutes.
"One thing that Anderson done really well this year is get to the free-throw line," Mincey said. "They have driven it to the rim because they are very athletic. We did a really good job in the first half only putting them there three times."
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— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CNathletics) December 9, 2020
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In the second stanza, the teams traded buckets for the first five minutes before the home group found its shooting stroke closing the half on a 10-3 run to take a 39-26 lead into the locker room.
To start the third quarter, Anderson made five of its first six shots from the field and used a 6-0 sequence to trim the margin to 65-57 just over three minutes into the second half. Mincey's club bounced back with a 10-3 jaunt to end the frame.
It extended to a 12-3 run on a running layup by Smith to start the fourth and make it a 65-49 game, the largest lead of the game. The Lady Eagles missed seven straight shots watching their foe rattle off eight straight and cut the score to seven points with 5:07 to go.
The Trojans scored three points the rest of the game as the Lady Eagles finished the affair on a 9-3 scoring run to seal the victory.
Anderson shot 53 percent from the charity stripe attempting 19 after entering the game posting 27 per night. C-N went 9-for-18 at the line.
Four Trojans scored in double figures led by 13 points and eight rebounds from Britney Bailey and 13 from Jalyn Spurlin. Taylor Hair scored 11 points and had six rebounds and McKenzie Gadson tacked on 10.
The Lady Eagles are slated to be back in action at home against Limestone in the first conference affair between the two programs. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. from Holt Fieldhouse with coverage airing on The Mountain 106.3 WPFT-FM and cneagles.com/live.
✅ @CNwbasketball WIN
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CNathletics) December 10, 2020
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