JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — After a strong first quarter start, the Newberry women’s basketball team watched their three game win streak come to an end in a blowout loss at Carson-Newman, Jan. 29.
With the loss, Newberry drops to 6-13 overall (6-10 SAC). With the win, Carson-Newman improves to 17-4 overall (14-3 SAC), and extended their win streak over Newberry to 12 games dating back to 2016.
Newberry started Saturday’s contest on 8-for-11 shooting from the field. Three Wolves scored in double-figures, led by Payton Cronen (11 points), Ericka Wiseley (10 points), and Giulia Bongiorno (10 points). Courtney Virgo added nine points in the loss, as her three-game double-digit scoring streak came to an end.
Newberry opened up the contest with two made shots from deep by Giulia Bongiorno and Payton Cronen helped put the Wolves out to an early, 13-8 lead. Bongiorno scored eight first quarter points to give Newberry an eight point advantage (26-18), headed into the second quarter. Carson Newman came out blazing in the second, with a 15-0 run to regain the lead, 33-26. The Eagles held the Wolves scoreless in the second, scoring 22 straight points after being down 11 to head into the break with a 37-26 lead.
In the second half, Cronen and Wiseley ended the scoring drought for the Wolves on a layup and two-made free throws to cut the advantage down to nine in the third period, 39-30, but the Eagles’ Braelyn Wykle scored 12 third quarter points to put CNU out front by 22, 56-34. Carson-Newman’s lead grew to as much as 28 points in the fourth as they escaped with the blowout win and their seventh-straight home victory, 78-57.
One positive in the game, the Scarlet and Gray committed a season-low 15 turnovers compared to CNU’s 13 for the day.