VIDEO: Sydney Pearce Interview
SALISBURY, N.C. – Despite committing its most turnovers in five seasons, 12th-ranked Carson-Newman hung out to beat Catawba 68-63 to be the last remaining one loss South Atlantic Conference team Saturday at Goodman Gym.
"We have had a hard stretch of road games where we have had to play these teams right there at the top with us trying to be the one seed in our league," Carson-Newman coach Mike Mincey said. "It wasn't the prettiest of games and I was frustrated most of the game because of the turnovers. One of the reasons we shot 54.5 percent from the field and 58 percent from the three but we cough the ball up 29 times and take 44 shots. We feel very fortunate to walk out of a tough place to play with a W."
Overall the Lady Eagles posted 29 turnovers, their most in a game since Nov. 12, 2016 when they tallied the same amount in a 15-point loss to No. 21 Lander. It was the most giveaways in a win since beating Tusculum by nine on Nov. 19, 2014 when the program committed 30 turnovers.
When Carson-Newman (12-1, 12-1) did take a shot, it was highly efficient making 55 percent from the field, its third straight game and sixth in the last 10 shooting above 50 percent. From beyond the arc, it went 7-for-12.
The Lady Eagles secured their ninth win in a row over Catawba, the longest winning streak by either team in the history of the series that dates back to 1990. This was the first Saturday road game of the year for the program as it extended its winning streak in such games to six.
Three players scored in double figures led by Braelyn Wykle (Greeneville, Tenn.) who notched her five straight 20-point effort finishing with 20 points going 6-for-10 from the field and a toasty 5-for-6 from long range. She added four assists and three rebounds.
Lindsey Taylor (Maryville, Tenn.) registered 14 points making six of 10 shots adding eight boards but the sophomore was hampered by foul trouble and a late injury. Harli Smith (Jamestown, Tenn.) added 10 points going 4-for-5 from the field.
Playing 18 minutes subbing in for Taylor, Sydney Pearce (Johnson City, Tenn.) recorded a season-high four shot blocks and hauled in four rebounds to go on top of a bucket.
"I knew when Lindsey went down that was going to hurt us big time," Pearce said. "She got a bunch of rebounds in there for us so I was trying to do whatever I could to help my teammates out whenever they get beat. It says a lot about our team that instead of taking it on our own, we come together and really play hard for each other. We want everyone to succeed. It's not about one person. Everyone shares the ball and wants everybody to be successful."
The Lady Eagles got off to an impeccable start scoring the first six points before the Indians scored their first points of the game four minutes into the contest. C-N was red hot from the floor to start the game making 12 of its first 16 shots from the floor to build a 28-15 edge with 8:09 to play before halftime on a layup from Skylar Boshears (Lafollette, Tenn.).
However turnovers plagued the Lady Eagles with 15 giveaways leading to a dozen points off of turnovers. Catawba used a 13-4 burst to climb back within four with 2:31 to play before halftime.
Mincey's club failed to convert from the floor over the final 4:01 of the first half but three free throws from Wykle stretched the margin to seven at 35-28 at the break.
5⃣ straight games with 20 points for @B_Wykle
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CNathletics) February 13, 2021
3⃣ consecutive contests shooting above 50 percent
✅ @CNwbasketball road win pic.twitter.com/OXqOhPftAH
After opening up a 41-30 lead four minutes into the second half, the Indians responded by rattling off seven unanswered. Catawba pulled within one at 45-44 before a quick 5-0 sequence by C-N. A triple and a steal and a layup by Lyrik Thorne made it a one-point game going into the fourth at 50-49.
A couple of trifectas from Wykle helped the Lady Eagles build a 61-54 lead with 6:31 to play in the game but Catawba had the answer ripping off seven straight to tie the margin at 61 with 3:05 to play on a right block layup by Sara McIntosh.
Two fouls from Boshears, a defensive stop and a clutch pull up 15-footer from Abby Wilson (Kingston, Tenn.) made it a two-score game at 65-61 with 47.2 seconds to play, C-N added late foul shots to seal a road win and fifth straight triumph.
Catawba scored 30 points off of turnovers entering the game averaging 22 but shot 36 percent from the field. Janiya Downs scored a season-high 20 points off of the bench going 8-for-15 from the field adding eight rebounds. Thorne tacked on 12 points, seven steals, five assists and three rebounds.
In a short turnaround, the Lady Eagles are slated to play on Monday at 2 p.m. in their longest road trip of the season, a journey to Coker. The broadcast will air on cneagles.com/live starting at 1:45 p.m. with "The AEC Countdown to Tip-Off" and on the Eagle Sports Network by listening locally on The Mountain 106. 3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville).
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