HICKORY, NC - The Lenoir-Rhyne Women's Basketball team lead wire to wire to open the PBC/SAC Challenge as the Bears defeated USC Aiken 67-47 on Saturday Afternoon.
Lauren Arnold.picked up her second career double-double, totaling 13 points and a career high 15 rebounds.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: No. 9 Lenoir-Rhyne 67, USC-Aiken 47
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (2-0), USC Aiken (1-1)
Location: Convocation Center | Aiken, S.C.
STORY OF THE GAME:
- LR scored the game's first eight points to go up 8-0 five minutes into the game.
- The Pacers closed the quarter on an 11-7 run to cut the lead to 15-11 after one.
- The Bears defense held the Pacers to just 11 points for the second straight quarter, and an Aaliyah El jumper at the buzzer gave LR a 31-22 lead at the break.
- Abigail Brown scored five of her fifteen points in the final minute of the third quarter to open 48-32 lead heading to the final frame.
- LR shot a game best 58% in the final quarter as LR opened a twenty point lead to cruise to a 67-47 win.
STATS OF THE GAME:
- Three Bears scored in double figures, led by Aaliyah El's 18. Also scoring in double figures was Abigail Brown (15) and Lauren Arnold (13).
- Madilyn Winterton and Amiya Porter both dished out four assists, while Brown posted three blocks and Arnold three steals.
- Lenoir-Rhyne's defense held USC Aiken to just 12 made baskets, as the home team shot 26.1% from the field.
- The Bears held a 42-28 rebounding advantage and forced 20 Pacer turnovers.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- The Bears have won three in a row against the Pacers with today's win.
- LR won by exactly 20 points last year, taking down the Pacers 79-59 in Hickory.
- Lauren Arnold's 15 boards are the most for a Bear since Tilda Lindstrom hauled in 16 against Tusculum on December 7th, 2024.
- Head coach Emry Tsitouris played at USC Aiken from 2014-17. She started 36 games over her three-year Pacer career and was the Peach Belt Freshman of the Year in 2014-15.
UP NEXT: Lenoir-Rhyne will face off against Lander on day two of the PBC/SAC Challenge tomorrow at 3:30 PM on the campus of USC-Aiken.
