#21 Women’s Basketball rides dominant second half to sixth straight win

Mars Hill, N.C. —- The 21st-ranked Catawba College women's basketball team allowed just 11 points in the second half Wednesday night, rolling to a 66-36 road win over Mars Hill in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball action. The Catawba Indians win their sixth straight to improve to 21-4 overall and 13-2 in the SAC, while the Lions drop to 7-16 overall and 3-12 in league play.

Lyrik Thorne was the only Catawba Indian to score in double figures, recording 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Twelve total players found the scorebook for Catawba, who takes a two-game lead in the Piedmont Division standings with the win. Janiya Downs logged nine points in a return from injury and Mary Spry also had nine with perfect shooting off the bench.

Catawba had multiple opportunities to pull out in front in the first half, but Mars Hill kept clawing back. The Catawba Indians held multiple five-point leads in the first quarter and led by as much as 23-16 at the 7:26 mark of the second quarter, but the team struggled offensively for the remainder of the half, leading just 27-25 after 20 minutes.

Janette Hanni's pair of free throws tied the game at 27 in the first minute of the second half, but Catawba took control from there. Lauren Ford's three-pointer capped a 9-0 run that was part of a larger 22-2 run, turning a tie game into a 20-point margin in the span of a quarter. 

Catawba kept the momentum going to start the final period, scoring the frame's first nine points to take a 60-31 lead – a 33-4 run since the opening minute of the second half. The Lions were held to just two field goals in the final period, as Catawba cruised to victory.

The Catawba Indians hit the road again this weekend, traveling to Emory & Henry on Saturday for a 4 p.m. tip.