The Belmont Abbey women's basketball team erased a 17-point deficit with a 20-2 run late in the second half to cut the lead to one point with 1:11 left, but Mount Olive used a turnover and four free throws in the final ten seconds to escape with a 65-60 win this evening at the Wheeler Center. Mount Olive improves to 10-9 overall and 9-4 in Conference Carolinas, while the Abbey falls to 11-8 overall and 9-5 in Conference Carolinas.

Belmont Abbey trailed 59-40 with 7:56 left in the game, but the Crusaders roared back by scoring 17 unanswered points to close the lead to two at 59-57 with 1:42 remaining. After a Mount Olive basket pushed the lead to 61-57 with 1:11 left, an Ashley Giddens three-pointer cut the Trojans lead to one at 61-60 with 43 seconds left.

Mount Olive followed with a turnover to give the Abbey the ball with 18 seconds left and trailing by one, but the Crusaders turned the ball over on the inbounds play and were forced to foul.

After the intentional foul, Shequanta McGee hit two free throws with ten seconds left to give Mount Olive a three-point cushion, and she hit two more with five seconds left to provide the winning margin.

The Abbey shot 46 percent as Courtney Naquin and Paula Regalado led four Crusaders in double figures with 12 points apiece, while Shayla Jackson added 11. Giddens finished with ten. Kelsey Daniel led all players with nine rebounds and tied for the game-high with four assists and four steals.

Mount Olive shot 48 percent as Helen Moore led all scorers with 16 points, one of four Lady Trojans to reach double figures. McGee added 14 points, while Laporsha Davis and Brittany Miller added ten apiece. Moore led her team with eight rebounds, four each on the offensive and defensive boards.