MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – Lakeisha Monroe scored
24 points and Keona Corley added 18 points as Mount Olive celebrated
Senior Night with its fifth consecutive win with a 73-61 victory over Limestone in Conference Carolinas women’s
basketball Saturday at Kornegay Arena.
Mount Olive (17-9 overall, 16-4 Conference Carolinas) broke away from
an early tie as Helen Moore scored six points during a 14-3 run to give
the Trojans an 20-9 lead with 11:57 left in the first half. The lead
grew to as many as 12 points before Limestone (14-14, 9-9) rallied to
pull within one as Monica Adams’ basket with 25 seconds left cut
the lead to 30-29.
Corley converted a three-point play with 18 seconds remaining to give
Mount Olive a 33-29 lead at intermission. Monroe had 11 points and Moore
tallied 10 points in the first half.
Monroe scored seven of the Trojans’ first 10 points of the second
half as Mount Olive built the lead back to double digits at 43-33 with
14:52 remaining. Limestone got as close as six points, but Corley capped
a Trojan run with a pair of free throws and a layup to build the lead
up to 55-43 with 8:03 left to play.
Mount Olive took its biggest lead of the game at 60-47 on a three-pointer
by Tomeka Prichard with 6:12 remaining. Limestone pulled within 62-54
on a basket by Lindsey Kyle and the Saints had a chance to chance to
close the gap to five with less than two minutes left. But Prichard
blocked a three-point attempt out of bounds, then Monroe intercepted
the inbounds pass and found Corley downcourt for a layup. The lead never
fell below nine the rest of the way.
Moore finished with 17 points and a team-high six rebounds. Moore, Monroe
and Corley combined for 59 of the Trojans’ 73 points. Monroe added
seven assists and four steals, while Corley was a perfect 7-for-7 from
the free throw line.
Adams led four Limestone players in double figures with 13 points to
go with a game-high eight rebounds. Stephanie Munoz and Kyle scored
12 points apiece, while Addie Graves added 11 points.
Mount Olive concludes regular season play Friday as the Trojans travel
to Wilson, N.C., to take on Barton in a match-up that could determine
the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds in the Conference Carolinas Women’s Basketball
Tournament. Mount Olive won the first meeting 99-86 January 24 at Kornegay
Arena. Tip-off is 7 p.m. Limestone plays host to Coker Tuesday at 5:30
p.m. in a Conference Carolinas match-up.
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