Women's Basketball Dominant In Season-Opening Win Over NGU

SALISBURY, N.C. – The Catawba College women's basketball team opened the season with a dominating 102-48 win over North Greenville on Friday night. Senior Lyrik Thorne dropped 29 points, and Catawba forced 36 turnovers on their way to victory. 

The home team wasted no time in putting pressure on the Crusaders at Goodman Gym on Friday. Mercedes Wampler, Lyrik Thorne, and Janiya Downs combined for 22 of the team's 27 first quarter points behind suffocating full-court defense. Catawba had a 27-8 lead after the first quarter. 

Catawba's defense tightened up even more in the second quarter as the Indians ran away with the game. Terence McCutcheon's squad allowed just three points in the second period and scored 24 to take a commanding 51-11 lead into the second half. 

It was more of the same recipe in the second half as Catawba's bench carried the team to a 102-48 victory. The Indians had 45 fastbreak points and scored 57 points off of NGU turnovers. 

Lyrik Thorne finished with 29 points, six steals, and five rebounds on the night. Jada Porter added 15 points while Janiya Downs and Sara McIntosh each recorded a dozen points in the contest. 

The women's basketball team will face Mount Olive, who fell to Tusculum in game before, in Goodman Gym tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m.