Mount Olive survived a three-point barrage from home-standing Pfeiffer in a Conference Carolinas women's basketball thriller Tuesday night. The Trojans answered with clutch scoring and strong defense down the stretch in a 79-73, come-from-behind victory. Andrea Jones delivered a team-high 22 points, including the tying and go-ahead baskets, as four Trojans (8-3 overall, 2-0 Conference Carolinas) scored in double-figures.

The Falcons (6-5, 1-1) led by 16 after a put-back by Brittany Cox with 5:39 left in the first half. Cox led all scorers with 34 points, including six of her team's 13 three-pointers.

Mount Olive closed the gap to 42-31 by intermission, but Cox and Jodie Lemons connected on three-pointers early in the second half to stretch the lead back to 15 less than two minutes into the period. Haley Grimsley added another long-range bomb for a 53-40 lead moments later.

Then the Trojan defense took over. The Falcons hit just five-of-30 from the field the rest of the contest, including one-of-11 from three-point range.

Offensively, Jones, Nesmith (20 points), Jasmine McDonald (14) and Destinee Webb (12) led the Trojans back.

Mount Olive outscored Pfeiffer, 29-15, following Grimsley's basket to take its first lead since the opening moments of the contest. McDonald dished out an assist to Jones for the go-ahead basket with 4:40 remaining.

Pfeiffer never regained control. Pfeiffer trailed 71-68 with possession of the ball with 2:55 left. On consecutive possessions, Jones and Alyssa Luebs blocked Falcon shots. Mount Olive finished the contest with eight blocks, including four by Luebs and three by Jones. The Trojans' previous team high for blocks this season was four against Virginia State.

Pfeiffer got within three once more, but Webb and Luebs hit a pair of free throws apiece to put the game away. The Trojans converted 18-of-19 attempts from the charity stripe, including all nine attempts in the final six minutes.

Nesmith added nine rebounds, five assists and two steals for Mount Olive, while McDonald added four rebounds, four on offense, and five steals.

The Trojans will play their third contest in five days Saturday afternoon when they travel to Bristol, Tenn. to meet Conference Carolinas newcomer King at 2 p.m. The men's contest will follow at 4 p.m.