BELMONT/>, NC/>/> - Freshman guards Kelsey Daniel and Courtney Naquin both led Belmont Abbey with 11 points as the Crusaders snapped a two-game losing streak with a convincing 66-50 win over Lees-McRae this evening at the Wheeler/> Center/>/>. The Abbey improves to 5-6 overall and 2-3 in the CVAC, while the Bobcats fall to 3-6 overall and 1-3 in the CVAC.

Along with Daniel and Naquin, sophomore forward Emma Camp added 10 points as the Crusaders shot 40.4 percent (21-52) from the floor and 35.7 percent (5-14) from three-point range. Daniel, who set a new career-high in points, sank three of her four field goal attempts and five of her six free throw attempts while handing out six assists and collecting five steals in just 27 minutes. Naquin finished the night three of six shooting, all from three-point range. Camp converted five of her seven field goal attempts and pulled down five rebounds.

The Abbey, which led for all but 27 seconds in the contest, opened the game on a 16-6 jaunt that allowed it to grab a 16-6 lead with 12:58/> left in the half. The advantage grew to as high as 12 points at 22-10 on freshman forward Hannah Lunt's uncontested layup with 10:28 left, but the Bobcats would embark on an 11-0 run over the next 5:07 to take its only lead of the game at 23-22 with 4:57 left, but two free throws from Naquin 27 seconds later gave the Abbey a lead it would never relinquish. Naquin's two free throws ignited a 10-3 Abbey run over the final 4:57/>to give the Crusaders a 32-26 lead at the half.

Belmont Abbey opened the second half on a 10-2 run to open up a 14-point lead at 42-28 with just under four minutes gone by. Lees-McRae would cut the advantage to seven at 46-39 with 11:35 left, but the Crusaders pulled away for good as it ripped off a 10-0 run to open up a 17-point lead at 56-39 with 7:28 left. The barrage included baskets from Daniel and Mulnix, and was capped off by three-pointers by Naquin and junior guard Sarah Reese. From there, the Abbey's lead would never dip below 13 points as it outscored the Bobcats 8-3 over the final 4:53/>to cruise home with a 66-50 win.

Outrebounding the Bobcats 36-28, sophomore center Ebone Johnson pulled down a team-high seven rebounds, including three of the Abbey's 13 offensive rebounds. The Abbey recorded 17 steals as Daniel's five led all players. Senior guard Jeanette Johansson recorded three.

The Abbey is back in action Thursday night when it travels to Laurinburg/>, North Carolina/>/> to face St. Andrew's Presbyterian/> College/>/>. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m./>