ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Freshman Karlee Taylor (Asheville, N.C.) had a career-game in front of family and friends as she scored 21 points to lead the Presbyterian College women's basketball team to a 74-68 victory on Saturday afternoon over UNC Asheville.
Taylor also contributed seven rebounds, eight assists, and one steal in the victory over the Bulldogs. She entered the game averaging only 5.7 points with her season high of 15 coming in the road win against Savannah State just five days earlier.
The Blue Hose had three other players in double figures. Mariah Pietrowski (Elizabethton, Tenn.) had 14 points and 14 rebounds to record her second double-double of the season and the team's third. Dria David (Lawrenceville, Ga.) and Amanda Mills (Oregon City, Ore.) both contributed 14 points in the victory.
UNC Asheville's Kelli Riles also recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead the home team. Kendall Shepard had 17 points while Lindsey Thompson and Chioma Okoli both scored 10 points to end the day in double figures.
After the Bulldogs scored the first two points of the second half, the Blue Hose scored 20 unanswered to erase an 11-point deficit and take the lead at 53-44. A basket by Chelsea Wright (Atlanta, Ga.) at the 14:36 mark gave PC the lead, and a basket by Pietrowski with 10:21 remaining capped the 20-2 run. Lindsey Montgomery scored a layup to end an eight-minute drought for the home team with 10:01 left to play. The game was tightly contested over the final minutes. UNC Asheville never regained the lead but threatened several times.
David and Mills went four-for-four from the charity stripe in the final 20 seconds to allow PC to sweep its first conference opponent since joining the Big South and win back-to-back road games for the first time since January 2006.
UNC Asheville shot 64 percent from the floor in the first half and was 12-of-14 from the charity stripe. The second half was a different story as they missed nine of their first 10 shots. They ended the game at 47 percent (FG) and 82 percent (FT).
The Blue Hose shot 42 percent from the field and 67 percent from behind the arc. More importantly, PC shot 81 percent (9-of-11) from three-point land in the second half compared to UNC Asheville's zero for seven. PC's 25 baskets on the day came with 21 assists, and PC's offense outscored the Bulldogs 41-26 in the second half.
The Blue Hose improve to 8-15 overall (4-5, Big South) while the Bulldogs fall to 11-12 overall (3-7, Big South).
PC will next play on the road against High Point on Monday afternoon. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
