The Belmont Abbey women's basketball team overcame a sluggish start, outscoring Converse 26-2 in the final nine minutes of the first half after trailing 17-14 to take command and cruise to an easy 75-52 win over the Valkyries this evening at the Wheeler Center. The win ups the Abbey's record to 12-12 overall and 8-7 in Conference Carolinas, while Converse falls to 3-21 overall and 3-12 in Conference Carolinas.

Converse made seven of its first ten shots to build a 17-14 lead with 9:03 left in the half, but it would score only two more points in the stanza as the Abbey rolled out on a 26-2 run over the final 7:46 to grab a 21-point lead at the half at 40-19.

A three-pointer by Noel Bullock tied the game at 17, which ignited a mini-run of 8-0 before a Converse jumper with 3:52 left, its final points of the half, momentarily halted the Abbey's flurry. The Crusaders scored the last 15 points of the half to pull away to a 40-19 lead.

The second half was more of the same as the Crusaders built their lead to as high as 27 points at 63-36 with 5:55 to play. The advantage never dropped below 23 points, which came on the last play of the game as Converse's Jasmine Middlebrooks drained a half-court shot at the buzzer to close the scoring with the Abbey winning 75-52.

Kelsey Long's 18 points led all players as she made eight of ten shots from the floor with four assists and a steal. Caitlyn Ranson added 15 points and five assists and McKenzie Owen netted 13 points and six rebounds. The Abbey shot 42.6 percent (26-61) from the field as 17 of the 26 field goals were assisted. Every available player saw action and all but two scored.

Converse shot 43.4 percent (23-53) as Samira Gilcrese led the Valkyries with 14 points and six rebounds. Colleen Leung added 11. Converse was just 3-14 (21 percent) from three-point range and turned the ball over 25 times.