HICKORY, N.C. – The Newberry women's basketball team took down Lenoir-Rhyne, 75-68, in the first South Atlantic Conference matchup of the season behind a tremendous game from Meg Essex.

Down by as much as 14 in the first quarter, the Wolves did their best to cut the Bears' lead to four. The dynamic duo of Shelby Britten and Meg Essex combined for 24 of the Wolves 28 first-half points to keep Newberry in the game entering into halftime.

Lenoir-Rhyne pushed their lead to nine to start the third quarter, but a stout Wolves defense held the Bears to only two points over the final five minutes of the quarter. Newberry finally took their first lead of the game off of a Brandi Hall lay-up with 16 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

The Wolves and Bears traded buckets during the first part of the final quarter. Newberry eventually pulled away thanks to some tough perimeter defense, forcing Lenoir-Rhyne to go 0-for-4 from behind the arc in the final three minutes. Essex went 5-for-6 from the charity stripe in the same stretch to give Newberry their first conference win of the season.
 
Essex was automatic from everywhere on the court for the Wolves as the Bears didn't have an answer for the 6-3 center as she racked up 31 points, including making a career-high two 3-pointers in the contest. The senior was also active on the boards as usual, tying her career-best with 15 total rebounds. Essex also recorded five assists, two steals and one block to end an impressive day.

Britten commanded the floor the entire evening as the guard posted 13 points and seven assists while making two first half 3-pointers.

Regan McCarty also chipped in 15 points and 10 boards on her way to her third straight double-double.
 
POSTGAME NOTES:

• Newberry has now recorded a double-double in all four contests this season
• Britten and Essex had 24 of the Wolves 28 first half points
• Essex made her third 3-pointer of her four-year career for the Wolves first points in the game
• After shooting 36 percent from the floor in the first half, the Wolves bounced back and tied their season-high of 60 percent from the field in the second half
• Freshman Taylor Campbell recorded her first field goal of her career on a long two-pointer in the third quarter

UP NEXT: 
The Wolves will hit the road again to Banner Elk as they take on non-conference foe Lees-McRae on Saturday, November 24 at 2 p.m.