Elizabeth City, NC – On Wednesday afternoon, the Regent University Women's Basketball team traveled south down Route 17, to the Tarheel State for a match-up with Mid-Atlantic Christian University. This was the second time the two teams had met this season, with the Royals coming away with the win a few weeks ago. Today, they were looking to earn their first road win of the season, but they would first have to defend a confident Mustangs team.
The first quarter began with both teams trying to find the basket and it would be MACU who struck first. However, Sophomore My 'Angel Carter (Toccoa, GA) answered on the next possession with a cutting layup to tie the game. The Mustangs regained the lead with a three-pointer, but a floater by Senior Lyriq Reyes (Bogota, NJ) put Regent back out in front. A fast break layup by Carter, followed by a basket from Senior Courtney Rowley (Lusk, WY) increased the lead to five points, but MACU went on a run to even the score at 10-10. A Rowley three and a Reyes free throw answered the run and as the quarter ended the Royals led 18-15.
A Rowley offensive put back started the scoring in the second quarter, but once again, the Mustangs tied the game. Another offensive put back from Rowley would break the tie and she followed that up with a defensive steal, allowing Reyes to get to the free-throw line, where she connected on both. Rowley continued to find the basket with a reverse layup and then found Carter underneath the basket for the three-point play. They would connect again on a fast break, to push the lead to double-dights, and then Junior Jasmeen Lemons (Houston, TX) drained a three-pointer to help send Regent into the half leading 35-23.
Carter came out active to begin the third quarter as she found the basket, while Reyes created points from the free throw line. MACU was able to put together a small run but Sophomore Shardae Williams (Fredericksburg, VA) answered with an offensive put back. Rowley would connect on two straight three-pointers to keep the Royals ahead at the end of the quarter, 49-38.
The Mustangs hit a three-pointer to begin the fourth and final quarter, but Williams stepped to the line for an answer. A Carter basket increased the lead back to double-digits and that is when the defense stepped up the pressure. A Lemons' three kept the momentum going and then a Carter steal led to a Reyes' fast-break basket. Lemons would score again on the next possession and suddenly the advantage was 19 points. Carter continued to dominate the boards and, as the final buzzer sounded, Regent would earn their first road win of the season, defeating the Mustangs by a final score of 72-46.
Rowley led the team with 23 points, with 12 of them coming from behind the three-point line, and 17 rebounds, for the double-double, while Carter finished the game with 19 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double. In addition, Reyes added 13 points to go along with 4 assists.
The Royals will be back in action on Saturday, February 8th when they travel to Georgia to face Paine College. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00pm.
