Belmont Abbey freshman guard Morgan Midkiff led the Abbey with 21 points as the Crusaders women's basketball team earned a 52-47 win over the visiting Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls this afternoon at the Wheeler Center. The Abbey improves to 3-2 overall, while JCSU drops to 3-5.

Neither team had a lead bigger than six points as the game was evenly played. With 8:42 left in the contest LaKendra Wilkerson converted on a layup to move the Golden Bulls lead to 41-37, which turned out to be the last Golden Bulls field goal for the next seven minutes, allowing the Abbey to make its charge.

Both teams converted a free throw to hold the JCSU lead at four, but two Midkiff free throws with 5:56 to play cut the lead down to two. A missed three-pointer on the Golden Bulls next possession became an Abbey possession, which turned into a three-pointer from Kelsey Long, which gave the Crusaders the lead for good.

After another missed shot by the Golden Bulls, Midkiff extended the lead to four with a three-pointer, and her steal and fast-break layup on JCSU's next trip down the floor increased the lead to six.

Johnson C. Smith chopped the lead down to three on its next two possessions, but it committed a costly error with 14 seconds left. The Golden Bulls stole the Crusaders inbounds pass and immediately called a timeout they didn't have, which is a technical foul. Midkiff closed the scoring with the last of her 21 points by sinking the free throws to seal the win. Belmont Abbey outscored the Golden Bulls 27-22 in the second half after the teams were tied at 25 at the half.

Midkiff led all players with a career-high 21 points on seven of 13 shooting from the field, including three of nine from three-point range. She also sank all four of her free throw attempts. She was the only Abbey player to reach double figures and score more than five points as the Crusaders shot 39 percent from the floor. She also had four steals. Long handed out five assists.

Deanna Downer led Johnson C. Smith with 11 points as the Golden Bulls shot 37 percent. Wilkerson added eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds.