SALISBURY, N.C. – Despite a career performance from Campbell Penland (Sevierville, Tenn.), Carson-Newman (15-6, 9-4 SAC) fell just short of its comeback bid on the road against #14 Catawba (15-3, 10-2 SAC) on Saturday afternoon inside Goodman Gym.
"I thought we defended well to get back in the second half," Carson-Newman head women's basketball coach Mike Mincey said. "I'm not disappointed in the. This is a tough place to play. When we have won over here, its been a single digit or overtime game. We just did not make that one extra play to get over the hump.
It was a career day for Campbell Penland (Sevierville, Tenn.) The junior guard went for a career-high 32 points, made 12 field goals and career-high seven three-pointers. It's the first time she has gone for 30 or more in a game and the fourth time she has scored 20+.
Braelyn Wykle (Greeneville, Tenn.) recorded her 65th career game with 20 or more, finishing with 21 points and made five threes.
Carson-Newman drilled a season-high 15 three-pointers, its most in a game since draining 15 against Queens on Feb. 22, 2020. C-N shot a season-high 45% from long range as well.
Entering the game, C-N had only made double-digit threes on one other occasion this season.
Both teams shot the basketball well early, but back-to-back three-pointers put Catawba up 13-8 with 4:57 to go in the opening quarter. Wykle made three straight three-pointers in response and C-N took its largest lead of the quarter at 4 with 2:09 left in the first. The Indians drilled a three in the final seconds of the first to tie the game.
Catawba never let C-N get another lead and went on a 12-0 scoring run to lead by eight, two minutes into the second quarter. The deficit grew to 14 after seven straight points from a pair of Catawba bench players. The Lady Eagles scores nine of the next eleven points with baskets by Penland and Wykle to cut the deficit to seven with 45 seconds to play until half. Catawba ended another quarter well, scoring the final five points including a banked in three at the buzzer to lead 50-38 at halftime.
Carson-Newman's defense allowed it to trim the Catawba lead down quickly early in the third quarter. Penland hit two threes and scored eight of the first ten points to make it 51-49 with 6:38 to go in the third. The Lady Eagles drew within one possession on multiple occasions throughout the rest of the period but found themselves down by five heading to the fourth. After Catawba shot 56% in the first half, C-N's defense held the Indians to 31% shooting and 14 points in the third.
Lyrik Thorne helped Catawba extend the lead back up to nine points after back-to-back baskets early in the fourth quarter. Penland helped C-N draw back within three points. She scored seven of C-N's first ten fourth quarter points to make it 72-69 with 3:47 to play. After a Catawba basket, Makayla Alvey nailed a corner three-pointer to bring C-N with a two. Those baskets would be the final ones for both sides the rest of the way. Thorne and Wykle each made two free throws with less than 100 seconds to go. Carson-Newman had a chance to tie or take the lead with 21 seconds to go. Penland drove to the basket and missed the shot but C-N crashed the glass to force a jump ball and keep the possession alive. As time was running down, Skylar Boshears (LaFollette, Tenn.) missed a jump shot at the buzzer and Catawba held off C-N.
Catawba made 48% of its shot, the highest mark an opponent has shot against Carson-Newman in a game this season. The Indians controlled the painted area, outscoring C-N 32-14. It's the lowest number of points in the paint in a game this season.
Both clubs went 7 for 15 from the charity stripe. Despite winning the turnover battle 14-12, C-N managed just five points off turnovers to Catawba's 16.
Thorne led all scorers with 38 points, on 14 of 26 shooting. She knocked in five three-pointers and led the team with six assists as well. Despite no other player scoring more than seven points, the Indians got 24 points from their bench.
Carson-Newman stays on the road and battles Mars Hill on Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m. Broadcast coverage airs on Mountain Talk 106.3 FM and cneagles.com/live starting at 5:15 p.m. with "The AEC Countdown to Tip-Off" courtesy of the Eagle Sports Network.
