The Belmont Abbey women's basketball team shot a season-high 53 percent from the field as junior Paula Regalado led all scorers and four Crusaders in double figures with 21 points as the Crusaders earned an easy 82-59 win at St. Andrews this afternoon. The Abbey, winners of two-straight, are 4-7 overall and 3-2 in Conference Carolinas, while the Knights remain winless at 0-9 overall and 0-5 in Conference Carolinas.

The Abbey sank 35 of its 66 shots in the contest, including 21-38 (55.3 percent) in the first half as it scored 48 points in the opening stanza. Regalado, who had eight points at the half, finished with a game-high 21 on eight of 11 shooting from the field and five of seven from the free throw line. She also had six rebounds in just 19 minutes. Freshman Kelsey Long added 18 points on eight of 11 shooting with four assists and three steals in 38 minutes. Melisa Foures added 12 points and Shayla Jackson chipped in with 10. She tied Regalado for the team-high with six rebounds.

The Crusaders forced 23 turnovers and held St. Andrews to 36 percent shooting from the floor. Natalie Whitman led three Knights in double figures with 13 points, while Brittany Roberts added 12 and Benee Norton finished with ten.

Belmont Abbey never trailed after being down 8-6 with three minutes gone by and outscored St. Andrews 26-6 over the last 10 minutes of the half to take a 48-23 lead into the break.
The Crusaders methodically built its lead in the second half, raising it to as high as 36 points at 70-34 on a traditional three-point play by Regalado with 10:54 left.

St. Andrews closed the game on a 24-12 run over the final 9:54 to provide the winning margin.