The Belmont Abbey women's basketball team led by as many as 14 points, but the Crusaders had to hold off late Lady Bobcats charge to earn a 64-60 win this evening at the Wheeler Center. The win ups the Abbey's record to 8-8 overall and 7-5 in Conference Carolinas, while the Lady Bobcats drop to 7-8 overall and 5-7 in Conference Carolinas.

Belmont Abbey dominated the first half as it shot 44 percent from the field and held Lees-McRae to a 37 percent effort as it built a 37-24 lead at the break. Junior guard Kelsey Long scored 16 of her 23 points in the first half, while Morgan Midkiff totaled 12 as the Abbey made 12 of 27 shots, while Lees-McRae attempted the same but converted only ten. The difference ws the Abbey was seven of 15 from three-point range, while Lees-McRae was only two of ten.

The Crusaders led by just three points at 23-20 with 5:41 to go after opening up a 14 point lead, but a 12-4 run, capped off by a Long three pointer with 50 ticks left, allowed the Abbey to carry a 37-24 lead into the break.

Belmont Abbey maintained is lead throughout the remainder of the second half but the Lady Bobcats battled back to make the game close. An 8-0 Lees-McRae with under ten minutes to go whittled the Abbey's lead from 11 down to just three at 50-47 with 5:39 to go but the Abbey converted on its next two possessions to extend the lead to seven.

Lees-McRae fought right back, dropping the lead to a pair on a Lauren Lewis three-pointer with 1:39 to play, but Long answered on the Abbey's next trip to move the edge back to five with 1:08 to go.

After a Lees-McRae possession came up empty, Caitlyn Ranson inched the lead to six with a free throw, but Layana De Souza converted a running layup on the other end to close the lead to four with 16 seconds to play.

Forced to foul, Lewis fouled Midkiff with 14 seconds left, and she made one of two free throws to move the lead to five. On Lees-McRae's next trip, Long fouled Lewis, whose two free throws with eight seconds left chopped the lead to three. On the other end, Candace Fox was fouled with no time coming off the clock, and she made just one of two free throws to make it a two possession game, which sealed the win at 64-60.

Belmont Abbey shot 35 percent (19-53) for the game as Long's 23 points led all players. Midkiff finished with 18 and Ranson netted 11 and six rebounds. McKenzie Owen grabbed eight boards to go along with six points. Fox handed out seven assists, while Midkiff and Long had two each.

Lees-McRae outscored the Abbey 36-27 in the second half as it shot 53 percent (14-26) in the final 20 minutes and 45 percent for the game. Lewis led the Lady Bobcats with 14 points, while Kerri Belcher added 13 and Zukye Smith contributed ten.