Jefferson City, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman Women's Basketball Team (16-8, 13-5) started hot and never let up in downing Lenoir-Rhyne (15-9, 11-7), 82-75, Saturday afternoon in a South Atlantic Conference game at the Holt Fieldhouse.

The Eagles' Mika Wester (Newport, Tenn.) scored 20 points, tying a game-high, and Carson-Newman raced to a 31-10 lead after the first period of play and never looked back.

Lenoir-Rhyne senior center Chelsey Romero (Hampton, Va.) also scored 20 points while senior forwards Brooke Robinson (Vale, N.C.) and Alecia Bell (Newport News, Va.) added 15 points each but the Bears couldn't recover from the early burst from the Eagles.

Carson-Newman shot 51 percent (16-of-31) in the first half while four Eagles reached double figures in scoring.

Lenoir-Rhyne held a 33-27 advantage of the boards but hit just one-of-13 three-point attempts on the afternoon.  In addition, the Eagles forced a season series split with the Bears.

In the next slate of South Atlantic Conference games on Wednesday night at 6:00 p.m., Lenoir-Rhyne travels to Newberry, S.C., to take on Newberry while Carson-Newman visits Tusculum in Greeneville, Tenn., for a road contest.