MURFREESBORO, N.C. (Feb. 14) – Despite a game-high 30 points from sophomore
Laila Anderson, the Trojans were dealt a 69-50 loss at Chowan in Conference Carolinas action on Wednesday night.
With the loss, the University of Mount Olive women's basketball team drops to 7-15 this season with a 5-9 mark in league action. The Hawks swept the season series and currently sit fourth in the KPI standings, which determines tournament seeding. Meanwhile, Chowan collects its third straight win to improve to 11-8 overall behind an 11-4 record in conference play.
Anderson scored 30 points on 12-of-20 shooting while going three-of-six from three-point range. She also tallied two rebounds, three assists, four steals, and one block in 36 minutes. Anderson paces the Conference Carolinas with 19.1 points per game with a trio of 30-point performances this year.
Senior
Reagan Hune finished with nine points on four-of-nine shots with two rebounds, two steals, and one block in 32 minutes.
In the first quarter, the two sides exchanged baskets over the initial three minutes of the contest before the Hawks scored four consecutive points to take a 13-9 edge. After a three-plus minute scoreless drought, Chowan registered three more points to take a 16-9 lead at the end of the quarter. The Hawks continued their run in the second with seven unanswered points to stretch the lead to 23-9 before UMO countered with a 6-0 rally to close the gap to 23-15 at the 6:05 mark. Mount Olive made five-of-eight from the field to close the second quarter and trailed 34-26 at the break.
Chowan extended the lead to 40-28 in the opening minutes of the third quarter before Anderson scored five straight points to trim the deficit to 40-33. The Hawks countered by scoring seven of the following nine points to take a 47-35 lead with 2:38 remaining before the sides traded points in the final two minutes, 51-39. Chowan mounted an 11-2 run to begin the fourth quarter and establish their largest lead of the game at 21 points with 6:48 to go. The Trojans responded with five straight points, but the Hawks scored seven of the final 11 points to secure the 69-50 victory.
UMO finished the contest shooting 35.0 percent (21-of-60) from the floor while converting 4-of-21 (19.0 percent) from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Chowan posted a .361 field goal percentage (26-of-72) and made 15-of-23 (65.2 percent) from the free-throw line. The Hawks recorded a 64-24 rebounding advantage with 46 points in the paint, while the Trojans scored 20 points off 31 forced turnovers.
Junior Tynasia Bunting finished with a team-high 23 points on 8-of-18 attempts with nine rebounds and six steals in 27 minutes. Sophomore Sydney Roberts tallied 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 20 minutes. Fellow sophomore Imani Hickman posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Mount Olive returns to the court on Saturday, Feb. 17, when it hosts Emmanuel on Senior Day at Kornegay Arena at 2 p.m.
