Hickory, N.C.--  The Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Basketball team fell late to Catawba 60-55 in their home opener Saturday afternoon inside Shuford Gym. The game was the first at home for Lenoir-Rhyne in the 2020-21 season and the first home game under Grahm Smith.

GAME INFORMATION:
Final: Catawba 60, Lenoir-Rhyne 55
Records: Catawba (4-0, 4-0 SAC) | Lenoir-Rhyne (0-4, 0-4 SAC)
Location: Shuford Gym

STATS AND INFO:
- For the second year in a row, Catawba came back from a fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Bears in Shuford Gym.  Last year in the Bears season finale, these teams played a thrilling game where Catawba came back and edged the Bears with two free throws with 1.9 seconds left to sneak past the Bears 62-60.
-The Indians and Bears have now split the last ten games played in Hickory dating back to the 2011-12 season. However, the Indians have now won the last four games in Hickory.

FIRST HALF:
-Freshman Blaikley Crooks came off the bench to help paced the Bears in the first half with 10 points on 4-6 shooting. It was Crooks first double-digit scoring effort in her short career. The Bears bench outscored the Indians 14-5 in the first half to help the Bears take a three-point lead into the half
-Both teams came out cold in the first half. Catawba finished the half 9-25 (36%) while the Bears shot 11-33 (33.3%)
-The Bears opened the game with a quick 6-0 run, thanks to three-pointers by Hanna McClung and Tatum McBride. The Indians responded with an 8-0 run of their own to take the lead into the second quarter. The Bears then finished the half with a 5-0 run to take the three-point lead into the half. 

SECOND HALF:
-The Bears controlled the third quarter expanding their lead to 8 with 7:31 left in the quarter before Catawba closed the quarter on a 10-4 run to cut the lead to two entering the 4th quarter. 
-Catawba used 13-25 (52%) shooting in the second half to help them take the lead for good with 7:03 minutes left to go. 
-LR had their chances to tie the game late but the Bears committed five of their 20 turnovers in the last two minutes of the game. 

ABOUT THE BEARS:
-The Bears had three players in double digits lead by 16 from Hanna McClung. McClung's 16 points were a season-high and one of her career-best. McClung also pitched in five rebounds for the third straight game and her four made 3-pointers tie a career-high
-Kiara Moore and Harman each added 7 rebounds for the Bears.
-Along with her 13 points and 7 rebounds, Harman added four steals and three assists to her stat line this afternoon.

NOTABLE INDIANS:
-.Catawba had a balanced attack with at least eight Indians scoring, including four in double digits. 
- Catawba did turnover the ball over 18 times but the Bears could only manage 13 points off those18 turnovers. 

UP NEXT:
--Bears will stay at home to face Tusculum at 4 PM on Wednesday