BANNER ELK, N.C. — Four Crusaders finished in double figures scoring as a strong second quarter proved to be the difference as the Belmont Abbey women's basketball team closed the regular season with a 74-59 victory over Lees-McRae Wednesday evening at Williams Gymnasium.

Dennison finished with a game-high 18 points to go with seven rebounds while Kallie Lusk had 13 for the Crusaders. Madison Lusk and Ava Fulkerson each had 11 for the Abbey.
After a low-scoring first quarter, the Crusaders used a strong second quarter to take control of the game and not look back.

Belmont Abbey closes the regular season with a 21-6 overall record and 16-4 mark in Conference Carolinas play. Lees-McRae is 19-7 overall and 15-5 in league play. Additionally, Belmont Abbey finishes 8-0 in Northwest Division play and goes unbeaten in the division for the second straight year.

The win along with other results Wednesday means Belmont Abbey is the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Conference Carolinas Tournament and earns a bye to the quarterfinals on Friday, March 6 at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium in Spartanburg, S.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Crusaders got off to a good start by scoring the first six points of the game starting with two baskets from Lusk and one from Brielle George.
• After leading 10-6 in the first quarter, Belmont Abbey surged ahead with a 28-point second quarter.
• It is the most points Belmont Abbey has scored in a single quarter in the first half this season.
• The Bobcats got within nine points in the first half but the Crusaders closed the half on a 16-2 run.
• The Abbey held Lees-McRae to 23.3 percent shooting in the first half.
• Belmont Abbey kept its hot shooting going with four made 3-pointers in the third quarter and led by as many as 32 points.
• Dennison's final field goal of the evening came with just over eight minutes remaining in the contest.
• Belmont Abbey did not trail in the contest. It is the sixth time this season that the Crusaders have won a game wire-to-wire.
• The team finished with 17 assists led by nine from Riley James, two shy of her career-high 11.
• Belmont Abbey also had 12 steals led by three from Sofia McNabb.
• The Crusaders outrebounded the Bobcats 48-27 highlighted by 10 from George.

REGIONAL RANKINGS UPDATE

• Belmont Abbey was ranked No. 9 in the latest Southeast regional rankings released by the NCAA Wednesday.
• The Crusaders are one of two Conference Carolinas schools in the Top 10 with Francis Marion at No. 6.

UP NEXT

• Belmont Abbey will get a break before returning to action for the Conference Carolinas Tournament.
• The tournament begins this weekend and Belmont Abbey will play the winner of the No. 12 seed Mount Olive-No. 7 seed Young Harris and No. 6 seed Chowan pod.
• The contest will be at 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 6 from Spartanburg.
• The full tournament bracket can be found here.