University of Mount Olive head women’s basketball coach Wendy Lee reminds her team to play hard before its encounter with unbeaten and nationally-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne on Monday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|Mountolivetribune.com)
The University of Mount Olive played toe-to-toe with nationally-ranked and unbeaten Lenoir-Rhyne for 32 minutes Monday afternoon.However, the Trojans struggled during the final eight minutes.
The Bears turned a six-point deficit into a double-digit cushion and claimed a 77-60 victory inside Kornegay Arena. Junior guard Haleigh Crews tallied 14 points for UMO, which dropped to 6-6 overall this season.
“We didn’t have the resolve to finish the game out like we have other close games because we won a couple of those close ones at home against very competitive, tough teams … games that required us to play all the way to the end,” Trojans head coach Wendy Lee said.
Maleiya Hill’s layup in transition capped an eight-point run and pushed UMO in front, 58-52, with 8:03 left in regulation.
The Trojans went cold from there.
Lenoir-Rhyne (13-0 overall) responded with a 25-2 run that included a 10-for-12 effort at the free throw line. The Bears improved to 6-0 all-time in the series.
UMO misfired on its final 10 possessions with five turnovers and five missed field goals. Tiandra Tucker and Laila Harris each drained a free throw during the offensive drought.
“An uncharacteristic Mount Olive basketball game today,” Lee said. “I thought we had our opportunities throughout against a nationally-ranked team. The game was always within one possession until the last seven or eight minutes.
“For us not to have that competitiveness, take it and run with it, that’s really discouraging, to be honest. It’s not like us.”
The pre-Christmas affair included 14 lead changes and eight ties.
UMO shot a blistering 69.2 percent in the opening quarter and trailed by one at halftime. A hot-shooting third quarter enabled the Trojans to gain a 52-50 advantage with one period to go.
Lenoir-Rhyne, the Southeast Region’s top-ranked team, dominated the offensive glass with 18 second-chance points and finished with a 41-24 edge in total rebounds. The Bears rose to 6-0 against Conference Carolinas opposition this season.
Harris tallied 11 points for the Trojans, while Reagan Hune provided 10 points in a reserve role. Jada Priebe and Tucker each pulled down six rebounds.
The Trojans return home New Year’s Eve for an afternoon clash against Peach Belt member USC Aiken. Tip-off is 1 p.m.
