Hickory, N.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne University Women's Basketball Team (6-3) earned a 59-46 win over Belmont Abbey College (3-4) Monday afternoon at Shuford Memorial Gymnasium.

L-R sophomore guard Jenni Gust (Colfax, Wis.) led all scorers with a career-high 15 points while junior forward Whitney Brinkley (Asheville, N.C.) added 10 points in the win.

Belmont Abbey's Kelsey Long (Pilot Mountain, N.C.) was the lone player to score in double figures for the Crusaders, finishing with 11 points in the losing effort.

With the score tied at 17, Lenoir-Rhyne put together a 20-7 run to close out?the first half for a 37-24 lead entering intermission.

The Bears never let the Crusaders within double digits the rest of the way and led by as many as 23 points on a jump shot by junior guard Danielle Bongiorno (Wilmington, N.C.) for a 56-33 advantage.

The Bears also held a 45-28 margin on the boards while L-R's defense limited the Crusaders to just 36 percent shooting (17-of-47) and forced 24 turnovers in the contest.

Lenoir-Rhyne junior guard Krystal Patton (Chilhowie, Va.) chipped in with nine points, seven rebounds and four assists as well in the non-conference victory.

Lenoir-Rhyne returns to action on Saturday against Anderson on the road in a South Atlantic Conference contest beginning at 2:00 p.m., in Anderson, S.C. Belmont Abbey returns home to take on Converse in a Conference Carolinas game on Thursday at 7:00 p.m.