MOUNT OLIVE (Jan. 22) – The University of Mount Olive women's basketball program was forced into 24 turnovers and held a season-low in attempts at the free-throw line in a 70-40 loss against Belmont Abbey on Monday night in Conference Carolinas action at Kornegay Arena.
With the loss, the Trojans fall to 3-12 this season behind a 1-6 mark in conference play. In the series, Belmont Abbey has won 10 of the last 11 meetings and earns its largest margin of victory following tonight's result. Meanwhile, the Crusaders claimed their ninth straight win to improve to 14-5 overall with an 8-1 record in league action.
Sophomore
Jada Priebe produced 10 points on five-of-seven shooting while adding seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks in 33 minutes off the bench. Fellow sophomore
Laila Anderson finished with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 37 minutes. Freshman
Alondra Arroyo scored a season-high eight points on four-of-five shots with one rebound and three blocks in 14 minutes off the bench.
The teams exchanged points in the initial six-plus minutes of the contest, as the Crusaders held an 8-7 edge in the first quarter. Belmont Abbey closed the opening quarter with seven unanswered points on three-of-five shooting to take a 15-7 lead. To begin the second, the Crusaders tallied seven straight points to build a 22-7 advantage before the Trojans registered six of the following eight points. Belmont Abbey stretched the lead to 31-15 with 2:26 remaining before entering halftime with a 35-19 advantage.
Senior
Reagan Hune converted a layup in the opening minute of the third quarter before the Crusaders mounted a 13-2 run and forced eight turnovers to extend the lead to 48-23 with 2:27 left. Mount Olive scored five of the final eight points of the third quarter to trail 51-28 heading into the last 10 minutes of the game. Belmont Abbey tallied six consecutive points to begin the fourth before UMO went on a 12-2 rally on five-of-six attempts to cut the deficit to 59-40. The Crusaders finished the contest with an 11-0 run to secure a 70-40 victory.
The Trojans finished the game shooting 34.6 percent (18-of-52) from the floor and converted just 3-of-23 (13.0 percent) from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Crusaders shot at a 45.0 clip (27-of-60) from the field and made 14-of-19 (73.7 percent) from the charity stripe. Belmont Abbey claimed a significant 42-26 advantage in rebounding with 36 points in the paint, while Mount Olive totaled 23 points off the bench.
Junior Peyton Nation delivered a double-double with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting with 12 rebounds, five assists, four steals, and one block in 30 minutes. Fellow junior Abigail Crain also registered a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds in 35 minutes, while teammate Catherine Hendershott finished with nine points and six rebounds in 22 minutes.
Mount Olive will play its third game in five days on Wednesday, Jan. 24, when it takes on rival Barton in Conference Carolinas play, starting at 5 p.m.
