CHARLOTTE, NC - The La Salle University Women's Basketball team dropped its fifth Atlantic 10 Conference game of the season as the Charlotte 49ers took a 74-52 decision at Halton Arena Wednesday night.
Two scoreless droughts by the Explorers of four minutes in the first half helped the 49ers jump out to a 21-5 lead just nine minutes into the contest, and they kept La Salle at a distance the rest of the game to register their fifth conference win of the season.
Jamie Walsh hit La Salle's first basket at the 16:18 mark to cut the deficit to just 4-3, but an 11-0 run pushed the Charlotte advantage into double figures. Danielle Mickiewicz broke the run with a lay-up with 12:15 remaining in the first, but another four-minute stretch helped the 49ers build a 16-point lead.
The Explorers then used a 9-2 run sparked by the three-point basket to cut their deficit to nine. Alyse Hoover knocked down a three pointer, which was sandwiched by a pair of Margaret Elderton threes, the second at the 6:20 mark pulled them to with 23-14.
Charlotte (14-8, 5-1 A-10) quickly increased its lead back to double figures and then closed out the half on an 8-2 run. Morgan Robertson opened the second with a basket for La Salle, but the 49ers responded with 13 straight points to push its lead to a game-high 28 points at 52-24 with 16:26 left in the game.
The rest of the way, the Explorers would stay with the 49ers, and actually cut the deficit down to 20, but Charlotte's rebounding, they held a 53-29 advantage, shooting, 53.8% in the second half, and second-chance points, 27, was too much for La Salle to overcome.
Elderton led the Explorers with 14 points - her 10th game in double figures in the last 12 - as Robertson chipped in 11, and Carlene Hightower grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds to go with nine points.
For the 49ers, Erin Floyd scored 18 points, one off her career-high, and had six boards. Sabrina Gregory registered a double-double with 12 points, 12 boards, Wendy Stywalt added 12 points, and Danielle Burgin had 11 rebounds.
La Salle (9-12, 1-5 A-10) returns home for its next game two games, as they host Temple on Saturday at 1 PM, then take on Massachusetts next Wednesday at 7 PM.
