NEWBERRY - In a span of 3:53 from the 19:30 mark to 15:37 remaining in the second half, the Newberry College Lady Indians took control. The scarlet and gray blitzed the Mars Hill College Lions with a 14-4 run to open the second frame after a grueling first half left both sides with 27 points.
Newberry (19-2, 8-2 SAC) bolted out of the locker room with tenacity on the glass, claiming four offensive boards in a 14-second span before junior forward Tonique Frasier banked a close range leaner for the opening points of the second half.
After Mars Hill (12-9, 5-5 SAC) re-tied the game at 29-29 on an Allison Schafer jumper, Monica Alexander sunk a three ball when Ashlee Wright kicked it out after drawing a double team. That was the only lead the Lady Indians needed in the second half going ahead for good with 18:55 still to go.
The Lady Indians continued consistent shooting from outside the paint, hitting 8-of-17 jump shots from in and around the perimeter.
Though the scarlet and gray hopped out to a lead as large as 16 late in the game, Mars Hill drew within 10 points at the 9:35 mark when Ariel Okunowo converted a second chance bucket to cut the lead to 48-38.
Newberry then stepped up the defensive pressure scoring five points in 16 seconds off of Mars Hill turnovers, capped off by a marvelous sequence. Senior Tygress Hope intercepted a pass and went cross-court to Ashlee Wright. The junior guard then drove the lane finding Frasier in the paint. Tonique cashed in on the lay-up while being fouled by Abby DeBusk sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Frasier converted the old-fashioned three-point play and gave the Lady Indians a 53-38 edge with just over seven minutes remaining.
Mars Hill couldn't mount a miracle comeback in a spirited Eleazer Arena and the Lady Indians went on to record a school record 19th win, 63-47. Saturday's victory was Newberry's seventh straight.
19 wins in a season bests the previous high of 18, set three times including the last two seasons consecutively. Newberry also accomplished the first back-to-back-to-back 18-win seasons.
Norcross, Ga. native Monica Alexander led all scorers with 17 points. The 5-5 guard also recorded six assists and snared five rebounds.
Tonique Frasier picked up her eighth double-double of the season with a 13-point, 11-rebound effort.
Newberry also received quality efforts from many sources including juniors Tosha Goodman and Ashley Marine. The two shooting guards combined for 16 points, eight a piece, and seven rebounds. Marine's four rebounds set a new season-high and tied a career-high.
Tiffany Smalls registered a career-high four steals and 19 minutes. Smalls also picked up three points. Newberry's bench outscored Mars Hill's 13-0.
The Lady Indian defense forced 20 Lion turnovers which resulted in 25 Newberry points. Newberry held an opponent under 50 points for the 10th time this season.
Newberry next suits up on Wednesday, February 7 with a 6 p.m. bout with Lenoir-Rhyne College in Eleazer Arena. Newberry beat the Bears by just three points in Hickory, N.C., 60-57.
