photo gallery: https://clewisncwc.smugmug.com/2-1-2020-NCWC-Basketball
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The NC Wesleyan College women's basketball team rallied from behind in the 4th quarter to overtake conference foe Pfeiffer University 70-66 on Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day in support of fellow USA South coach Randy Tuggle Saturday in Rocky Mount.
Junior guard Kayla Johnson led the Bishops with 19 points and 5 three-pointers along with 7 rebounds while junior forward Myrayna Watkins added 18 points and 9 rebounds including the go-ahead basket with 1:24 to go in the fourth giving the Bishops the 66-65 lead.
The Bishops outscored Pfeiffer 20-13 in the first quarter and 19-17 in the second while using Johnson's 17 first half points to take a 39-30 halftime edge.
Pfeiffer then began their rally in the third quarter going on a 27-9 run to start the third and take a 9-point lead. This was until junior guard Cydney Nichols drilled a big-three-pointer at the buzzer to trim the Bishops' deficit to 6 points going into the fourth.
Wesleyan then found themselves trailing 60-51 with 8 minutes to play, but proceeded to turn up the intensity en route to a going on a 19-6 run to end the game.
Pfeiffer (8-12, 5-7) shot the ball better than the Bishops overall, 42% to 30%; however, Wesleyan made four more threes than the Falcons overall creating the difference in the end. Wesleyan also out-rebounded Pfeiffer by a wide 62-34 margin including a team-best and career high of 20 rebounds from junior forward Kneciya Tripp.
Nichols had a solid game for the Bishops off the bench scoring 14 points on 6 of 12 shooting with 4 rebounds and a team-best 3 steals while freshman guard Myesha Best also added a season-high 10 points. Fellow freshman Nyesha Best led with 4 assists as well.
Wesleyan improves to 15-5 overall and 10-2 in the conference continuing their best start since 2002. The women return to action tomorrow to host Salem College at 2:00 PM.