Newberry, S.C. ? The Newberry College Women?s Basketball Team (10-4, 3-1) moved into a second-place tie in the South Atlantic Conference with a 77-59 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne University (10-4, 3-1) Saturday afternoon at Eleazer Arena.

Newberry?s Anita Bulcher (Russia, Ohio) led the way with 19 points and 12 rebounds, both game-highs, as the Scarlet and Gray handed the Bears their first league loss of the year.

Lenoir-Rhyne senior guards Jami Safrit (Hickory, N.C.) and Brittany Mitch (McLean, Va.) scored 15 points each in the defeat.

Newberry, who never trailed in the game, opened up a 24-11 lead on a pair of free throws by Helen McKinney (Owensboro, Ky.) with 8:41 remaining in the first half en route to a 33-24 lead at break.

Newberry took complete control of the contest with a 20-5 run to start the second half to push the advantage to 24 points (53-29), its biggest of the game, on a lay-up by LeAnne Watson (Stone Mountain, Ga.) and never looked back.

McKinney and Amy Browne (Maroochydore, AUSTRALIA) added 13 points each for Newberry, who won its second straight game.

Newberry also held a 41-21 advantage in rebounding and limited Lenoir-Rhyne to just 35 percent (18-of-51) shooting for the contest including six-for-19 from three-point land (32 percent).

Lenoir-Rhyne returns home to face Mars Hill in a South Atlantic Conference game on Wednesday beginning at 6 p.m.