No.10/5 C-N stout defensively to snap Catawba’s home winning streak
December 14, 2024

No.10/5 C-N stout defensively to snap Catawba’s home winning streak

No. 10/5 Carson-Newman (9-1, 7-1 SAC) put together its best defensive performance of the season to end Catawba’s (7-4, 5-3 SAC) 33-game home regular season winning streak with a 67-49 victory at Goodman Gym on Saturday afternoon.

VIDEO: Mike Mincey Interview

VIDEO: Lindsey Taylor Interview

SALISBURY, N.C. – No. 10/5 Carson-Newman (9-1, 7-1 SAC) put together its best defensive performance of the season to end Catawba's (7-4, 5-3 SAC) 33-game home regular season winning streak with a 67-49 victory at Goodman Gym on Saturday afternoon.

Catawba's 33 game home regular season winning streak had spanned more than two seasons but was snapped by C-N. Over the past five years, Carson-Newman has handed Catawba four of their seven home losses.

"I was pleased overall with the first three quarters," Carson-Newman women's basketball head coach Mike Mincey said. "I thought our press was more effective here than it was in the first meeting because of our effort. In the halfcourt, I thought we challenged a lot of things better in this game. Lindsey (Taylor) got going in the third quarter. Everything was clicking through three quarters. Just disappointed with how we finished things off in the fourth quarter."

The Lady Eagles secured their ninth win this season because of its dominant defense. C-N held Catawba to a season-low 49 points, the fewest points the Lady Eagles have allowed in a game this season. Mincey's squad forced the Indians into 28 turnovers and scored 28 points off of those turnovers. C-N has won every game this season when holding the advantage in the points off turnovers category.

Catawba's 49 points are the second fewest in a game against Carson-Newman in a series with now 80 meetings.

Carson-Newman matches its road win total from this past season with already four road wins in five opportunities this season.

Despite seven first quarter turnovers, Carson-Newman made its final seven shots of the opening quarter and held a nine-point lead. C-N's defense held Catawba to just nine points on three baskets and forced seven Catawba turnovers.

The offensive efficiency carried over into the second frame. Campbell Penland (Sevierville, Tenn.) buried back-to-back triples to increase C-N's lead to 13, just two minutes into the quarter. Carson-Newman's defense was just as good as its offense. The Lady Eagles forced 12 turnovers and forced the Indians to shoot just 30 percent from the field. C-N allowed just 20 first half points, the fewest points allowed in any half this season. C-N scored 14 of the last 19 points to gain a 20-point lead at intermission.

The Lady Eagles defense went to another level in the third quarter. Lindsey Taylor (Maryville, Tenn.) scored ten straight points to push the lead to 32 points four minutes into the period. The lead would balloon to as many as 36 late in the period because of C-N's defense. The effort defensively forced Catawba into 11 turnovers in the quarter and held the Indians to zero baskets in the period.

That field goal drought for Catawba carried over into the fourth quarter and ended after a three-pointer at the 6:24 mark of the fourth quarter. C-N's defense held Catawba without a basket for 14 minutes and 58 seconds of game time. The Lady Eagles struggled offensively in the fourth quarter and was outscored 19-5 in the period.

Carson-Newman shot 46 percent from the field and held Catawba to just 33 percent shooting. C-N has won 23 straight games when outshooting its opponent.

Taylor and Penland were C-N's double-figure scorers with 13 and 11, respectively. Penland nailed three triples for the sixth time in ten games this season. Taylor moved into ninth place on the all-time scoring list and is now up to 1,388 career points. Five other Lady Eagles had six points or more.

Six players combined for C-N's 17 steal effort on defense. Jennifer Sullivan (Knoxville, Tenn.) had a team-high four, while Makayla Alvey (Dandridge, Tenn.) Penland and Tori Rutherford (Rutledge, Tenn.) each had three.

Catawba was led by Bailee Goodlett's 12 points. She was one of just four players to make multiple field goals in the game.

SCORIGAMI! Today's 67-49 final score is the 832nd most unique score in Carson-Newman women's basketball history.

Carson-Newman continues its road stretch on Wednesday afternoon against Limestone. Tipoff is set 2:00 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 1:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on MIX 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.

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