Belmont Abbey freshman guard Morgan Midkiff scored 19 of her 21 points in the second half as the Crusaders women's basketball team erased a 41-26 halftime deficit by outscoring Coker 44-24 in the final 20 minutes to come from behind and earn a 70-65 win over the visiting Cobras this evening at the Wheeler Center. Belmont Abbey improves to 9-8 overall and 8-5 in Conference Carolinas, while Coker drops to 11-8 overall and 7-6 in Conference Carolinas.

Coker built a 41-26 halftime lead on the strength 48 percent shooting (16-33) from the field, but in the second half it was a different story as the Cobras made just eight field goals on 35 attempts (22.9 percent) in the second half, while the Crusaders defense forced nine of the Cobras 16 turnovers and shot 38 percent in the second half to post a thrilling victory.

Kelsey Long added 20 points, 14 in the first half as she scored 12 of the Abbey's first 14 points. Midkiff finished with 21, 19 in the second half while playing most of the stanza with a bloodied nose. Midkiff made just one of six shots in the first half and missed all five of her three-point attempts, but in the second half, she made five of 14 attempts, including one of two from beyond the arc, and sank all eight of her free throws. She also had five assists. McKenzie Owen posted a career-high 14 points on six of six shooting from the field, and made both of her free throw attempts. She also had nine rebounds, including two that led to put backs in the final five minutes that helped seal the win. Candace Fox added ten points and six assists.

Coker's Autumn Lau led all scorers with 29 points, 18 in the first half on seven of 11 shooting and four of six from three-point range. In the second half, however, she made just three of 13 from the field and missed all four from beyond the arc.

Trailing by 15 at the half, the Crusaders opened on an 18-6 run over the first 6:05 to chop the lead down to three. Coker missed its first five shots before an Amber Lau jumper with 16:33 to go stemmed the Abbey's run momentarily.

After Owen's jumper cut the Crusaders deficit to three, Coker scored six straight to move its lead back to nine at 53-44 with 12:22 to go. The Crusaders fired right back with a 9-2 run to inch the deficit down to a pair at 55-53 with 7:22 to play. A traditional three-point play from Midkiff, followed by two free throws from Long, and puncutated with a short jumper from Owen closed the lead to a pair.

Lau made two free throws on Coker's next trip to move the lead to four, but the Abbey answered with a 10-1 run to give the Crusaders their first lead of the game, which would not be relinquished.

A short jumper from Owen, followed by a layup from Fox after a Lau free throw cut the deficit to one, and Midkiff gave the Abbey the lead for good with two free throws at the 4:11 mark to put the Crusaders ahead to stay.

Coker missed a shot on its next possession and Midkiff converted an and one on the next trip to extend the lead to four, and two Long free throws inched it to six with 2:43 to play.

Angie Lawrence made two free throws at the 2:02 mark to chop the lead to four, but Owen sank two free throws on the Abbey's next trip to move it back to six.

Coker did not go away, as Haily Yohn swished a three-pointer at the 1:39 mark to drop the Abbey's lead to three, but it quickly moved back to five as Owen grabbed a missed three-pointer from Fox and netted a jumper with 1:05 to go.

14 seconds later, Lau made a running layup to close the lead to three, but the Cobras did not score again, even though they had a chance to tie the game with 14 seconds left. Yohn was left wide open beyond the arc, but her shot missed, Midkiff cradled her sixth and final rebound of the night, and she made two free throws with five seconds left to seal the win.