Box Score AIKEN, S.C.--Carson-Newman (1-0) closed the final 6:24 of the first half on an 18-4 run erasing a six-point deficit, giving the 19th ranked Lady Eagles a 30-22 advantage at the break, as they held off USC Aiken (0-1) for the 61-54 win in non-conference women's basketball action on Tuesday night. It was the season opener for both squads as Carson-Newman evens the all-time series at 2-2. The Lady Pacers drop their third season opener in the last four years, all coming against top 25 teams. 

Senior forward Nola Grant led USC Aiken with 12 points, four rebounds, and two blocks. Newcomer sophomore Avonte Williams added nine points and nine rebounds off the bench. Freshmen Meredith Legg and Satu Leppanen added eight and seven points respectively while Jordon Thomas chipped in four points and eight boards. 

Tashea Ledbetter and Ashley Tipton had 13 and 11 points off the bench for Carson-Newman while Amanda Ray added 11 points and four of the team's 12 steals. Gabrielle Smith chipped in nine points and a team-high six rebounds. 

Both teams showed evidence early on that it was their season opener combining for 33 first half turnovers. Five-straight points from junior point guard Mindy Allee capped by a lay-up with 10:10 to play in the opening stanza gave USCA its largest lead at 15-8. 

Trailing 18-12, however, with 6:24 left until half, Ray's free throws ignited the decisive 18-4 run for the Lady Eagles as Tipton's trey at the horn pushed the bulge to 30-22. She had seven of her 11 points during that run as the Lady Pacers were held without a field goal over the final 4:23 of the half. 

USC Aiken scored eight of the second half's first 12 points, the last coming on a Grant bucket in the paint with 15:31 on the clock to trim the deficit to 34-30. But after going 2-of-10 from the floor in the opening five minutes of the final stanza, Carson-Newman found their range again pushing the lead into double figures 42-32 behind an 8-2 spurt.

Smith's jumper with 1:20 to play gave Carson-Newman its largest lead 58-47. The Lady Pacers finished strong with five-straight points over the next 50 seconds making it a two-possession game, 58-52, but the Lady Eagles closed out the 61-54 win. 

Carson-Newman out scored USC Aiken 21-7 on points off turnovers forcing 25 Lady Pacer miscues. 

USC Aiken won the battle of the boards 42-33 while both teams shot under 38 percent for the game. 

USC Aiken will host the NU SKIN Tip-Off Classic on Friday and Saturday, November 18-19. Converse will meet Mount Olive on Friday at 5:30 PM with the Lady Pacers hosting Tampa at 7:30 PM. Carson-Newman returns home to host St. Andrews on Friday at 8:00 PM in Jefferson City, Tenn. 

Newspaper Box Score
#19 Carson-Newman vs USC Aiken
11/15/05 5:30 PM at Aiken, S.C. (The Courthouse)

#19 CARSON-NEWMAN 61, USC AIKEN 54

CARSON-NEWMAN (1-0)
Ledbetter, Tashea 4-7 5-7 13; Ray, Amanda 4-9 3-4 11; Tipton, Ashley 3-4 3-4 11; Smith, Gabrielle 3-9 3-4 9; Clark, Renita 2-8 2-3 7; Burks, Cassie 2-8 0-0 5; Johnson, Eboni 1-4 0-0 2; Davison, LaToya 1-1 0-0 2; Garcia, Elyse 0-0 1-2 1; Avrett, Nicole 0-0 0-0 0; Cleusix, Melanie 0-0 0-0 0; Booker, Giovanni 0-3 0-2 0. Totals 20-53 17-26 61.

USC AIKEN (0-1)
Grant, Nola 4-13 4-4 12; Williams, Avonte 2-4 4-7 9; Legg, Meredith 3-6 0-0 8; Leppanen, Satu 2-4 3-4 7; Allee, Mindy 2-5 0-0 5; Jackson, Allison 0-1 4-6 4; Thomas, Jordon 0-3 4-4 4; Jones, Keirstin 1-3 1-2 3; Broadwater, LaToshia 1-4 0-0 2; Chandler, Kendra 0-1 0-0 0; Starnes, Megan 0-2 0-0 0; Bennett, Nichole 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 15-47 20-27 54.

Carson-Newman............... 30 31 - 61
USC Aiken........................... 22 32 - 54

3-point goals-Carson-Newman 4-13 (Tipton, Ashley 2-3; Burks, Cassie 1-5; Clark, Renita 1-4; Johnson, Eboni 0-1), USC Aiken 4-14 (Legg, Meredith 2-4; Allee, Mindy 1-4; Williams, Avonte 1-2; Thomas, Jordon 0-1; Jones, Keirstin 0-1; Starnes, Megan 0-1; Bennett, Nichole 0-1). Fouled out--Carson-Newman-None, USC Aiken-None. Rebounds-Carson-Newman 33 (Smith, Gabrielle 6), USC Aiken 42 (Williams, Avonte 9). Assists-Carson-Newman 12 (Booker, Giovanni 6), USC Aiken 11 (Williams, Avonte 2; Legg, Meredith 2; Allee, Mindy 2). Total fouls-Carson-Newman 21, USC Aiken 17. A-612.