ANDERSON, S.C. - Paced by three Trojans in double figures, the Anderson women's basketball team outran Mars Hill, 83-68, in South Atlantic Conference play Saturday afternoon at the Abney Athletic Center.
Buoyed by its highest offensive output of the season, Anderson (8-12, 4-8 SAC) snapped a three-game winless streak and earned a season-sweep past the Lions with the victory, while handing Mars Hill (13-7, 6-6 SAC) its third consecutive setback.
Anderson opened the contest by hitting four of its first seven shots (57.1 percent) and built a six-point lead four times in the opening seven minute, but the Lions knotted the score for the first time since the opening minute at 18-18 on a jumper by sophomore Kristen Metcalf. Following a 3 by AU's Alexa Neal, the Lions' Brittini Young countered with a 3-pointer to again tie the score.
The Trojans responded with eight unanswered points to regain the lead with 5:48 on the clock, but Mars Hill rallied again and took its first lead of the contest, 37-35 with less than a minute left in the opening frame and took a 38-37 lead to the locker room.
The opening three minutes of the second half featured three lead
changes, with the Trojans breaking a 40-40 tie with a 10-3 run
early in the half and went on to build a double-digit lead with
11:03 left in the game on senior Ashley Abed's jumper.
The 5-foot-10 guard's basket pushed Anderson's cushion to 61-50 and
while the Lions crept back within seven points at the 8:24 mark,
Mars Hill would get no closer in the final minutes.
AU's Alissa Diaz led all scorers with a season-high 20 points,
while Abed and Neal each added 19 points. Neal also handed out a
game-high four assists and Abed dished out three. Sophomore forward
Tilde Ahlin recorded a game-high seven rebounds to help lead AU to
a commanding 35-21 advantage on the boards.
Jessica Jones led four Lions in double figures with 16 points, while Taylor Deal added 14 points and Young finished with 12 points.
Anderson is quickly back on the road, as the Trojans open a two-game conference road swing at Newberry on Wednesday. Tip-off between AU and the Wolves is slated for 6 p.m. at Eleazer Arena.
