HICKORY, N.C. --- Lenoir-Rhyne University extended its winning streak to 17 games with a 112-60 victory over Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball Saturday afternoon at Shuford Memorial Arena.
Eight players scored in double figures for the 22nd-ranked Bears (22-4, 18-2 SAC), who remain one game ahead of Lincoln Memorial in the SAC standings with two games left in the regular season. Aaliyah El led the Bears with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven steals in just 21 minutes of playing time as Lenoir-Rhyne shot 48.1 percent (39-for-81) from the field, including 16 three-pointers.
Caroline McDowell had a career game for the Pioneers, as the freshman went off for a season-high 17 points on 7-for-15 shooting along with seven rebounds in 31 minutes off the bench. Ema Nagyova also reached double figures for Tusculum with 13 points and had six rebounds as the Pioneers shot 37.3 percent (22-for-59) from the field in the game.
The Bears scored 51 points off 36 Pioneer turnovers and had a 36-6 edge in fast break points. Lenoir-Rhyne received 50 points from its bench and outscored Tusculum 44-22 in the paint. Both teams had 41 rebounds, with Lenoir-Rhyne grabbing 20 on the offensive glass and Tusculum 16.
Amiya Porter had 14 points and five assists for the Bears, with 13 points from Elyseia Brown, 12 from Tatum Bowen, 11 apiece from Trista Charles and Peyton Harvey and 10 each from Abigail Brown and Ralee Bare.
The Bears led 27-13 after one quarter keyed by a 14-0 run, and built their lead to 51-24 at halftime. Lenoir-Rhyne stretched the margin to 79-41 after three quarters, then scored 33 points in the fourth quarter to reach triple figures for the sixth time this season.
McDowell scored 15 of her 17 points in the second half, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Her previous season and career high was eight points at Carson-Newman on Jan. 28. McDowell was 2-for-4 on three-pointers and had four of her seven rebounds on the offensive end.
Josie Horner had eight points and four rebounds and Julia Szwichtenberg finished with eight points, seven boards and two blocks for the Pioneers, with six points and four assists from Martina Garofalo and five points and four assists from Angela Gomez. Brooke Calvert knocked down her first three-pointer of the season and had three points in 18 minutes off the bench for Tusculum.
Tusculum will play its final road game of the season on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at Emory & Henry, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The Wasps (6-20, 4-16 SAC) fell 92-62 at Wingate on Saturday and will look to avenge a 63-62 loss at Pioneer Arena on Jan. 21 on a basket by Garofalo with less than a second remaining.
