HARROGATE, Tenn. – Leading by 11 points with just over two minutes to go in regulation, Carson-Newman (8-4, 2-2 SAC) was unable to hold onto the double-digit lead, eventually losing 82-78 in double overtime to Lincoln Memorial (9-1, 4-0 SAC) on Wednesday evening inside of Tex Turner Arena.
"It was a tough scenario to be in," Carson-Newman head coach Mike Mincey said. "We're on the road, trying to salvage and stay ahead. We went 1-4 from the free throw line and committed two turnovers. Off both of those turnovers, they scored off of them. LMU may have very well won the game from the free throw line too. They were 22 of 29 and we were 12 of 22. It's hard to win games if you aren't making your free throws. We put ourselves in a winning position, we just needed to finish it out and make plays and we didn't. "
C-N is now 1-4 on the road this season and has lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.
The Lady Eagles defense impressed early, as they kept LMU off the scoreboard for nearly the first five minutes of the game and led 9-2 with 4:14 to go. Lindsey Taylor (Maryville, Tenn.) scored the final six points of the period to give C-N the 15-9 lead after one.
Offense continued to be hard to come by for both sides. A Campbell Penland (Sevierville, Tenn.) layup with 4:24 to go until halftime increased C-N's lead to 21-13. That layup would C-N's third and final basket of the quarter. LMU scored the final eight points of the quarter, six of which came from the line and tied the game heading into halftime.
Carson-Newman's 21 points was its fewest in the first half and in any half its played so far this season.
The Lady Eagles found their footing in the third quarter. C-N made its first five baskets of the quarter and got nine of the first 11 points of the period from Taylor to go up 32-26, forcing a LMU timeout. C-N Scored five of the final eight points of the 3rd to lead by nine points.
Keeleigh Rogers began providing a scoring spark for C-N in the 4th quarter. She scored seven of the team's first nine points of the period to make it 50-42 with 4:25 to go. After a Makayla Alvey (Dandridge, Tenn.) jumpshot with 3 minutes to play, Carson-Newman increased its lead to 54-43. Lincoln Memorial scored seven straight points to bring the deficit to four points with less than a minute to play. A Geovana Rios basket with 12 seconds to go made it a two-point game. Braelyn Wykle (Greeneville, Tenn.) was fouled on the ensuing possession. The graduate student split a pair from the line to make it 55-52. Without a timeout, LMU raced into the front court where Alexa Smiddy drilled a three-pointer in the final seconds to send the game to overtime.
It was a back and forth overtime until LMU scored five straight points to lead by four with a minute to play. Carson-Newman answered as Penland and Alvey both nailed huge three-pointers, the second of which tied the game with 13 seconds to play. The Lady Eagles got a defensive stop and forced a second overtime.
C-N used that late momentum it built and scored the first six points of the second overtime, to lead 76-70. LMU responded well and went on a 10-0 scoring run and led by four with ten seconds to go. Penland made a pair of free throws but Lauren Flowers answered with two of her own to give LMU the 82-78 victory.
The 2OT loss spoiled an incredible effort from Taylor, who finished with a season-high 32 points on 14-16 shooting. The senior snared down 11 rebounds as well for her 5th double-double of the season, but fouled out late in the first overtime.
Alvey filled the stat sheet with 15 points, nine rebounds and a team-best six assists. Keeleigh Rogers recorded her second double-figure scoring game this season with ten points.
The Lady Eagles finished the game shooting 46% from the field, but just 4-16 from beyond the arc. LMU was held to 35% shooting and 29% from three.
Lauren Flowers led the Railsplitters with 23 points, nine of which came from the free throw line. Four other LMU players scored double digits.
Carson-Newman returns home to Holt Fieldhouse on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. when it welcomes in the Newberry Wolves. Broadcast coverage airs on Mountain Talk 106.3 FM and cneagles.com/live starting at 1:45 p.m. with "The AEC Countdown to Tip-Off" courtesy of the Eagle Sports Network.
