SALISBURY, NC - Catawba opened up the second quarter with a 12-0 run and held off UVA Wise for the 69-54 South Atlantic Conference win Saturday afternoon.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result: Catawba 69, UVA Wise 54
Records: UVA Wise (8-6, 5-3 SAC); Catawba (6-7, 4-4 SAC)
Location: Salisbury, NC | Goodman Arena
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both teams hit three pointers on their first possession, with
Alissa Cheek scoring at 8:45, narrowing the score to 6-3. After a Catawba score,
Caroline Mullins scored five quick points, bringing the game to a tie at 8-8 with 4:35 remaining. The teams then traded baskets for the next two minutes before Catawba regained a slim lead with a 3-pointer from Julie Janus at 1:30. Mullins hit two free throws with 49 seconds left, closing the quarter with Catawba ahead 16-14.
- Catawba opened up the second quarter by taking advantage of UVA Wise turnovers to go on a 12-0 run. The Highland Cavaliers had scoring from
Madison Looney and
Jalie Ruehling down the stretch, with Ruehling knocking down a three-pointer at 1:52, but Catawba also picked up points to take a 35-23 lead at the half.
- The Catawba Indians extended their lead in the third quarter with a strong start, as Makayla Stokes scored a layup just 25 seconds in, followed by a layup from Saniya Wilson at 8:32. Kaira Dixon-Booker capitalized on a fast break to push the score to 41-23 at 8:14. Mullins responded for UVA Wise with a tip-in at 6:44 to narrow the gap. Despite a late push from the Highland Cavaliers, including multiple free throws made by
Mia Nienaber, Catawba led 49-35 at the end of the third quarter.
- The teams swapped baskets for the majority of the final quarter. UVA Wise's
Emilea Preece downed a 3-pointer at 6:24, but Catawba's consistent scoring kept them ahead. Abigail Jordan scored a layup and a jumper for the Highland Cavaliers with 18 seconds left, but it was not enough to close the gap as Catawba went on the claim the 69-54 win.
GETTING WISE
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Caroline Mullins led all scorers with 17 points while going 9-10 at the free throw line. She also had six rebounds and drew nine fouls.
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Emilea Preece led the team in rebounds with seven and had six points.
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Jalie Ruehling chipped in five points and five rebounds and also had three steals.
- Abigail Jordan scored seven points.
UP NEXT
After a month away from home, the Cavs will finally get to play on the Quillen Court once again when they host Tusculum Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m. This will be the 43rd meeting between the two schools, dating back to 1984. The two schools were conference rivals for years before Tusculum joined the SAC (and NCAA Division II in basketball) in the late 1990s, which caused the series to pause from 2000-2019 apart from games in 2015 and 2016.
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