NEWBERRY - Newberry College used a 14-2 run over a two-and-a-half minute span in the second half to break open a close game with Carson-Newman College on their way to a 73-57 win Saturday afternoon in women's action at Eleazer Arena. This was the first-ever conference-opening victory for the Lady Indians. (Newberry has been a full member of the South Atlantic Conference since the 1997-98 season.)
Newberry's (10-3, 1-0 South Atlantic Conference) last victory over the Lady Eagles (10-4, 0-1 SAC) came nearly five years ago to the date. Carson-Newman leads the overall series 14-2.
Sophomore forward Tonya Deese (Newberry, S.C.) triggered the run with a three-point play with 7:56 left in the contest. Another basket by Deese and four points from Chance Stewart (Durham, N.C.) gave Newberry a 16-point lead that would not be challenged.
Indian freshmen accounted for 42 of 73 points. Forward Tonique Frasier (Walterboro, S.C.) and Monica Alexander (Norcross, Ga.) contributed 14 and 11 points, respectively. Alexander collected a team-high nine rebounds and six steals, and hit seven of eight foul shots.
The Scarlet attack was fairly balanced, as 11 Indians made the box score. Deese just missed the double-double with nine points and eight rebounds. Jonelle Yaklich (LaSalle, Ill.) put in eight points, six off long-distance shots.
The Lady Indians put away Carson-Newman without leading scorer and two-time SAC Player of the Week Carnicha Bellinger (Greenville, S.C.), who was not with the team due to a death in the family.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Nicha and her family," Newberry head coach Jason Brink said following the game. "The girls certainly missed her today and wish her well. However, this team is about being a team, and we weren't about to make excuses or concessions for not playing well because one player was not here."
From one freshman sensation to another, Newberry's interior defense neutralized Eagle forward Brooke Johnson (Seymour, Tenn.). Johnson and Bellinger are 2-3 in conference scoring, and both are strong candidates for the league's Freshman of the Year award. Johnson was limited to one point and four boards in the first half, and finished with only seven and seven.
"Our defensive focus was to keep the ball out of Johnson's and [Tiffany] Parker's hands," Brink added. "We were able to stop Johnson, but Parker got hers."
Indeed, Parker (Newnan, Ga.) had already recorded a double-double by halftime (11 and 10), finishing the night with 22 points and 14 boards, both game highs. Latoya Davison (College Park, Ga.) was the only other Eagle in double figures, scoring ten points, eight of those after the break.
Newberry looks for its second SAC win in as many tries when the team travels to Catawba College Wednesday night at 6 p.m. Carson-Newman will make a trip to North Carolina as well, taking on the Lenoir-Rhyne College Bears at the same tipoff time.
