NEWBERRY - Junior guard Ashley Marine drained a three-pointer from the far-side corner with 2:57 left to go in the second half to give Newberry the lead and propel the scarlet and gray to a 63-58 victory over Carson-Newman College at Eleazer Arena on Saturday.
Before Marine's triple, Carson-Newman (10-2, 1-1 SAC) had battled back from a deficit of 11 points to even the game at 51-51 with 7:10 remaining in the second half after sophomore guard Ashley Tipton converted a second chance lay-up.
Newberry (12-1, 1-1 SAC) then rebuilt a four point lead on two Tonique Frasier buckets. The junior forward from Walterboro finished the afternoon with 20 points, shooting an impressive 10-of-11 from the field.
Carson-Newman regrouped with Tipton converting an old-fashioned three-point play, making a shot while being fouled by Frasier. After Tipton nailed the free throw, Newberry failed to answer on it's next possession despite three prime chances.
The Lady Eagles then took the lead for the first time since the 16:35 mark of the first half after junior forward Tashea Ledbetter hit a jumper for a 56-55 edge with 3:18 left in the game.
With momentum seemingly shifting to Carson-Newman, in stepped sharp-shooting three-point specialist Ashley Marine. A driving Ashlee Wright kicked out a pass to a barely open Marine who found nothing but net from deep in the corner for a 58-56 lead. The modest, but raucous crowd of 160 souls erupted and once again the momentum pendulum swung back into Newberry's favor.
A few tense moments still remained for the Newberry faithful. At the 2:10 mark, Frasier drew a foul on the Lady Eagle's Ledbetter, but could not cash in on two free throw attempts. However, an offensive rebound from Monica Alexander on Frasier's second miss set up an Ashlee Wright lay-up and pushed the Newberry lead to four.
Carson-Newman answered right back once again pulling within a basket as Tipton connected on a jumper at the 1:40 mark.
Tonique Frasier would have no comeback and with the shot clock dwindling, sunk a short jump shot from the left side of the paint to ice the victory.
Though the second South Atlantic Conference match went down to the wire for the Lady Indians, the scarlet and gray dominated the first half. Newberry went into the locker room with a nine point edge, 34-25.
Monica Alexander was the spark in the early going, with 14 of her 16 points coming in the first. The junior from Norcross, Ga. shot 5-of-9 from the floor including 3-of-5 from behind the arc for the game. Alexander also finished with six assists and five rebounds.
Frasier's 20 points led all scorers and Tonique also chipped in six rebounds and a block. Junior guard Ashlee Wright played a solid all-around game with nine points, nine assists, and six rebounds despite four personal fouls.
For Carson-Newman, Tipton led the Lady Eagles offense with 12 points and sophomore guard Lindsey Eggleston added 11 points and nine rebounds. Both Tipton and Eggleston did not start the game for the visitors from Jefferson City, Tenn.
After evening it's conference record in the tenth straight home game, Newberry will hit the road for the next two games. The Lady Indians battle Mars Hill on Monday, Jan. 8 and then travel to Hickory, N.C. on Wednesday, Jan. 10 for a match with Lenoir-Rhyne. Both games have tip-off scheduled for 6 p.m.
