Box Score The Maryville College women's basketball team continued their winning ways on Saturday with a 73-41 USA South Conference victory over the N.C. Wesleyan Battling Bishops.
The win extends Maryville's win streak to 12 games, as the No. 22/23 Scots move to 13-1 on the year.
N.C. Wesleyan jumped out to a big start, beginning the game 4-of-4 from the field for an 8-2 advantage. The Scots started sluggish, going just 1-of-8 from the floor in the first four minutes.
A pair of free throws and a layup by Joanna Young put the Scots back into the game, while a Jordan Ballard 3-pointer gave Maryville a 9-8 advantage with 14:44 remaining in the first half. It was a lead Maryville would not give up.
The Scots shot 45.5 percent from floor in the first half, while Darrin Travillian's stingy defense held the Battling Bishops to only 36.4 percent (8-of-22). That defense, after giving up eight points in the first 2:47, only relinquished 10 points to N.C. Wesleyan in the remainder of the first stanza to take a 39-18 lead to the break.
Maryville would extend that lead to 33 points during the second half, before taking the win. The Scots shot 42.4 percent (25-of-59) on the afternoon, while holding N.C. Wesleyan to only 15-of-52 shooting (28.8 percent).
The Scots' defense forced 18 Bishop turnovers, turning that into 25 points. Maryville outrebounded their USA South foe, 47-29, while depositing 20 second-chance points. The bench poured in 36 points in relief on the afternoon to secure the win.
Maryville was led off the bench by Lauren Biliter. The 5-foot-9 freshman guard posted career high 12 points, while adding two rebounds and an assist in 14 minutes of action for the Scots. The point total tops the freshman's previous best of 11 points, which came against Birmingham Southern earlier this season.
Biliter was just one of five Maryville players to score in double figures, as Mackenzie Puckett, Kelsey Brown, Young and Ballard each deposited 11 points on the afternoon. Puckett added seven rebounds and three steals to her day, while Ballard posted five steals and three assists. Brown added four rebounds, two blocks and an assist to her 11-point outing.
Alex Bond, Mindy Brackins and Brittany Johnson each added four points, while Lauren Trent and Linley Dunn added three and two respectively.
Dunn led all players on the boards with 10 rebounds on the evening.
N.C. Wesleyan (3-9, 1-6 USA South) was paced by a 12-point day from Kenyata Harris. She added four rebounds, two steals, an assist and a block to her totals. The Bishops were led by Netaih Davis' seven-rebound afternoon, while Alijah Brown tallied two blocks.
Maryville moves to 13-1 on the season, while going 5-0 in USA South action. They return home next weekend for a two-game stand.
The Scots will host Meredith on Friday for a 6 p.m. start, before taking on Mary Baldwin on 5 p.m. inside Boydson Baird Gymnasium.
