February 15, 2012

Lions use Late Run to Down Eagles

Box score

MARS HILL, N.C.-- Mars Hill broke open a tight game with a late run to put away SAC-foe Carson-Newman for an 83-73 victory at Stanford Arena Wednesnday evening. The victory improves Mars Hill to 12-12 on the season, 5-10 in SAC play. Carson-Newman fell to 13-10 overall, 7-8 in SAC play.

A 13-1 run turned a one-point Lion deficit into a late 11-point lead for Mars Hill to put the game out of reach. Tyler Carlson scored a season-high 24 points, connecting on 5-of-7 of her three-point attempts and going a perfect 7-of-7 from the line to pace the Lions. Taylor Deal added 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting, and Kristen Metcalf scored 11 points and dished out five assists. The Lions shot a scalding 57.1 percent from three-point range (12-of-21) on the night and converted 19-of-21 free throws.

Carson-Newman was led by Zoriah Williams, who notched a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Whitney Moody and Shannon Depew added 16 and 14 points respectively.

The deciding run began with the Lions trailing 63-62 with 7:18 to play. A flagrant foul put Jackie Simon at the line, and the senior connected on both free throws to give Mars Hill the lead. They would never trail again, as those points jump-started a 13-1 run to put the game out of reach.

Mars Hill went to work in the paint over the next three possessions, with Armeka Booker scoring on a drop-step and off a nice feed from Deal, and Simon adding a runner off the window. Carlson then connected from the outside with a trey. After an Eagles free throw, Deal capped the run with a pull up jumper from the right of the lane to make the score 75-64 with 4:15 to play. The Eagles didn't get close than nine the rest of the way, with the Lions leading by as much as 13.

The twelve three-pointers hit by the Lions was a season best, as was the 57.1 percent of threes MHC converted. The Eagles hit 6-of-14 of their three-point attempts.

Carson-Newman led by as much as ten in the first half, but the Lions fought their way back into the game with some hot three-point shooting. Carlson connected on four of her five attempts from three-land in the first half. Deal, Ricker and Metcalf each hit treys in the half, as the Lions hit seven of their 13 attempts from beyond the arc before halftime. The hot shooting from outside helped the Lions take a 44-38 lead into the break.

Mars Hill will be in action again Saturday afternoon when they host Wingate. The game is part of the Pink Zone and "Play 4 Kay" events to raise money for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Tip-off is at 2 p.m. at Stanford Arena.