November 20, 2009

MARS HILL, N.C. - Five Mars Hill players scored in double figures as the Lions topped UNC Pembroke, 92-82, on the first day of the Biltmore Farms/Mars Hill Classic. Mars Hill improves to 1-1. Pembroke falls to 2-1.

The first 10 minutes of the game were a back and forth affair. Brittini Young (Ramseur, N.C.) nailed two three pointers and scored eight of the team's first 10 points in the first three minutes of the game. A trey from behind the arc by Marquena Delk (Williamsburg, Va.) at the midway point gave Pembroke a two-point lead, 18-16.

A jumper by Jodi Zimmerman (Fort Laramie, Ohio) at the 6:59 mark gave Pembroke its first double-digit lead, 29-18, but the Lions put together a 19-5 run over the course of 5:46. A three by Narcissa Grayson (Danville, Va.) and layup by Young gave Mars Hill a six-point lead with 1:28 left in the first half.

Young hit a 45 foot running three pointer at the buzzer to end the first half and give Mars Hill a 44-36 advantage. Young had 17 points in the first half.

The Lions opened the second half strong. Back-to-back three pointers by Margaret Harvey (Greensboro, N.C.) gave Mars Hill a 50-40 advantage 1:24 into the second half.

Casey Siddens (Rochester, Ill.) hit a three at 15:40 to cut the deficit to five points, 54-49, but Krystal Moore (Summerfield, N.C.) drained a three one minute later to give the Lions another double-digit lead, 59-49.

The lead turned to 14 points, 63-49, when Beth Miller (Burlington, N.C.) found Katie Buckner (Canton, Ga.) under the basket for an easy layup at the 12:57 mark.

Pembroke responded, and two free throws by Chevoya Jackson (Goldsboro, N.C.) started an 11-2 run for the Braves. Back-to-back layups by Jackson made the score 65-60 in favor of Mars Hill at the midpoint of the second half.

Young answered for the Lions. She grabbed a Taylor Deal (Catawba, N.C.) miss under the basket and converted an old-fashioned three-point play which gave Mars Hill a 75-65 lead at the seven minute mark.

A jumper by DeDe Cotten (Fayetteville, N.C.) with 2:20 left in the game cut the deficit to five points, 84-79, but Pembroke would get no closer the rest of the way.

Young (29 points, 10 rebounds) and Deal (16 points, 12 rebounds) finished with double-doubles for the Lions. Young, Deal, Harvey (14 points), Grayson (13 points) and Bria Smith (11 points), from Snellville, Ga., all scored in double-digits.

JaToya Kemp (Elizabethtown, N.C.) scored points for the Braves. Briana Stanton (Hookerton, N.C.) chipped in points.

Mars Hill hit 14 three-pointers in the game. Pembroke hit only 6-24 from behind the arc.

The Lions will take on Columbus State on Saturday. Tipoff from Stanford Arena is set for 6 p.m.

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No. 20 Lenoir-Rhyne held off Columbus State in overtime by a score of 81-71. The Bears improve to 1-1. The Cougars drop to 0-1.

Lenoir-Rhyne opened the game on a 9-3 run, but Turelle Jones (Cecil, Ga.) hit a three-pointer eight minutes into the game to cut the score to 9-8 in favor of Lenoir-Rhyne.

A jumper by Denise Moore (Newport News, Va.) ignited an 11-4 run by the Bears. A fastbreak layup by Amber Holt (Charlotte, N.C.) concluded the spurt and gave Lenoir-Rhyne a 28-15 lead at the 6:08 mark.

Columbus State answered as Deniese Campbell (Hyattsville, Md.) hit a jumper with 53 seconds left in the half. The Cougars trailed midway through the game 32-27.

Columbus State kept the game close throughout the second half. A jumper by Ashley Stafford (Moultrie, Ga.) with 16:46 left in the game made the score 40-37 in favor of Lenoir-Rhyne.

Lenoir-Rhyne hit a stride as back-to-back fast break layups by Precious Elkins (Conyers, Ga.) and Sealey pushed the Bear lead up to nine points, 46-37, at the 14:14 mark.

The Cougars responded with a 10-0 run. Hali Moore (Ensley, Ala.) scored five points during the run to give Columbus State a 47-36 lead at the midpoint of the second half.

The Bears retook the lead off two free throws by Brittany Mitch (McLean, Va.). A layup by Crystal Rogers (Palm Bay, Fla.) with 4:59 left in the game got Columbus State within a point, 57-56.

LaCourtney Rann (Charlotte, N.C.) hit a trey for Lenoir-Rhyne at the 4:20 mark to stretch the advantage to six points, 62-56, but the Bears could not pull away.

Jones hit a three with 38 seconds left to tie the game at 65. Mitch hit a 10 foot shot with 12 seconds left, but Nakita Holt (Ashland, Ala.) drove the length of the court and retied the game on a layup with six seconds remaining in regulation.

The Bears scored the first eight points of overtime. Mitch hit a three on the first possession, and Lenoir-Rhyne never looked back.

Sealy led all Lenoir-Rhyne scorers with 16 points. Moore, Rann and Elkins each had 13 points. Mitch pumped in 12 while Holt scored 10.

Phebe Smith (Marietta, Ga.) recorded a game-high 17 points in the loss for Columbus State. Jones and Moore scored 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Lenoir-Rhyne will take on UNC Pembroke on Saturday at 4 p.m. on Saturday inside Stanford Arena. Columbus State will tangle with Mars Hill at 6 p.m.

Mars Hill vs. Pembroke Boxscore...

Lenoir-Rhyne vs. Columbus State Boxscore...

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