BELMONT, N.C. (Jan. 7) – After being held to a .271 field-goal percentage on Saturday afternoon, the Trojans fell by a 75-45 margin against Belmont Abbey on the road in Conference Carolinas play.
With the loss, the University of Mount Olive women's basketball team drops to 8-7 overall with a 4-3 mark in conference action. The Crusaders hold a 9-1 record against the Trojans over the last 10 meetings dating back to 2017. Meanwhile, Belmont Abbey extends its seven-game winning streak and improves to 9-3 this season behind an undefeated 6-0 record in league play.
Junior
Reagan Hune led the team with 13 points on six-of-eight attempts with five rebounds in 31 minutes. Senior
Makayla Kimble finished with 12 points and two rebounds in 22 minutes after battling foul trouble, while junior
Laila Harris was held to six points, three rebounds, and one block in 27 minutes.
The Crusaders converted three-of-four shots over the initial four-plus minutes of the contest to build an early 9-5 advantage. Mount Olive answered with five unanswered points to take a 10-9 lead with 4:19 left in the first behind a three-pointer from Kimble. The game would be tied two times down the stretch before Belmont Abbey made a layup with 16 seconds left to hold a 14-12 advantage after the first quarter. The Crusaders mounted a 9-0 run to start the second and extended the lead to 23-12. Hune halted the run with a layup at the 5:30 mark, but Belmont Abbey went on a 13-4 run over the final five minutes of the first half to take a 36-18 advantage into halftime. During the second quarter, the Trojans were held to six points on just 3-of-13 shooting.
The third quarter opened with a three-minute scoreless drought from both teams before Hune hit a jumper with 6:56 left to trail 36-20. Both sides traded baskets over the next four minutes before Belmont Abbey closed the third by scoring nine of the following 10 points to stretch the lead to 54-27 entering the final quarter. The Trojans were unable to chip into the lead throughout the fourth, as the Crusaders sealed the win by shooting 11-of-12 from the charity stripe.
The Trojans finished the game shooting 27.1 percent (16-of-59) from the floor while converting 4-of-12 (33.3 percent) from the three-point range. Meanwhile, the Crusaders shot at a 53.3 clip (24-of-45) from the field and made 22-of-26 (84.6 percent) from the free-throw line. Belmont Abbey finished with a 40-23 rebounding advantage and scored 32 points in the paint, while UMO tallied 23 points off the bench.
Sophomore Abigail Crain registered a game-high 25 points on eight-of-nine shooting with five rebounds in 36 minutes. Senior Taylor Stelley finished with 12 points, four rebounds, and five assists in 31 minutes, while sophomore Peyton Nation and Cate Schieber each totaled 11 points on Saturday.
The Trojans return to play on Wednesday, Jan. 11, when they travel to face rival Barton in Conference Carolinas action at 5 p.m.
