Bully's Five Three-pointers Propels Women's Basketball Past Belmont Abbey

WINGATE, NC -- Freshman guard Chloe Bully (Hannut, BELGIUM/Namur HS) went 5-for-5 from long range with a career-high 19 points as Catawba College picked up a 64-50 win over Belmont Abbey in the first game of the evening in the OrthoCarolina Classic at Wingate University’s Cuddy Arena. With their third-consecutive victory the Lady Indians improve to 5-4 overall while the Crusaders drop to 3-5.

After being down by two at halftime and tied at 33 four minutes into the second half, the Lady Indians went on a 24-4 run over the next eight-and-a-half minutes to put the game out of reach.

Dana Hicks (York, SC/Gaston Day HS) pulled down one of her nine rebounds, made an outlet pass to Nisha Long (Dallas, NC/Gaston Day HS) which found Lauren Lewis (Concord, NC/N.Mecklenburg HS) for one of her two triples during the run as Catawba started pulling away at 40-33. Bully had a three-pointer, a lay-up off a steal, and an assist to contribute to the charge.

The Crusaders managed only two baskets by Brittany Rice (10 points) and Alyx Ingram in the same stretch and were hurt by six turnovers and seven missed shots as they went 3-for-10 from behind the arc for the game. Belmont Abbey went to the foul line a meager five times the entire game, making three.

Bully’s last three-pointer of the night with 7:17 remaining, stretched the lead to 57-37 as the Lady Indians never looked back.

The first half ended as a tight affair, but Catawba jumped out to a 10-2 advantage on the strength of two bombs by Bully and consistent rebounding by Hicks on both ends of the court. 

The lead was 19-8 before the Crusaders made a run of their own. Paula Regalado (10 points, six rebounds) sank three jumpers while Rice canned two, including a three, to help Belmont Abbey take a 26-24 lead at the break.

Hicks tallied 13 points and five steals while Long had 10 points and seven assists for Catawba.

McKenzie Owen led the Crusaders in scoring with 12, to go with her four rebounds.

Catawba plays its second and final contest of the OrthoCarolina Classic Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. against the Erskine Flying Fleet (2-4). Belmont Abbey plays the host Wingate Bulldogs (4-2) at 4p.m.