Salisbury, N.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne University Women's Basketball Team (13-10, 10-5) moved into sole possession of second place in the South Atlantic Conference with a 65-63 win in overtime on the road against Catawba College (14-11, 8-7) Wednesday night at Goodman Gymnasium.
With the score tied at 63 in overtime, Lenoir-Rhyne freshman forward Whitney Brinkley (Asheville, N.C.) hit the game-winning lay-up with four seconds left to lift the Bears to the win.
Sophomore guard Whitley Culler (Mount Airy, N.C.) led the Bears with 16 points while junior guard Cameron Sealey (Mount Holly, N.C.) and?sophomore guard Caroline Laughter (Hickory, N.C.) added 15 points each as L-R rallied from a 15-point, first-half deficit to run its winning streak over Catawba to eight.
Catawba was led by Milica Ivanovic (Belgrade, SERBIA) with a game-high 19 points and Dana Hicks (York, S.C.) finished with 13 points and 16 rebounds but the Indians saw their three-game winning streak snapped.
Catawba jumped out to a 27-12 lead, its biggest of the contest, with 3:28 remaining in the first half on a field goal by Jolysa Connor (Charlotte, N.C.) and led 31-20 entering halftime.
However, L-R opened the second half with a 21-4 run capped off by a three-pointer by Laughter that gave the Bears a 41-35 advantage with 11:58 left.
The contest went back and forth from there and the Indians forced overtime tied at 55 on a jump shot by Elizabeth Merritt (Lexington, N.C.) with six seconds on the clock.
The overtime was a period of runs as L-R ran off the first seven points before Catawba responded with the next eight to take a 63-62 advantage with 1:01 remaining.
However, Laughter tied the contest at 63 with a free throw before Brinkley's field goal proved to be the game-winner.? Catawba missed a?shot at the end of the extra frame which would have forced a second overtime.
Lenoir-Rhyne returns home to face Brevard in a South Atlantic Conference contest Saturday at 4 p.m.? Catawba travels to Greeneville, Tenn., to take on league-foe Tusculum Saturday at 2 p.m.
