Women's Basketball | 1/30/2014 8:32:00 PM

Box Score ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The Methodist women's basketball team scored 46 second-half points, but was unable to shake a 15-point halftime deficit as it lost to N.C. Wesleyan, 88-73, on Thursday evening at Everett Gym.
 
Originally scheduled to square off Wednesday night, the Monarchs (9-6, 5-4 USA South) and Battling Bishops (6-8, 4-4 USA South) matched up a day later due to inclement weather conditions.
 
MU hung around with NCWC to begin the game as both teams shot the ball well in first 10 minutes of play. Trading points left and right, Methodist and N.C. Wesleyan were neck-and-neck after Jalisia Campbell hit her second straight jumper in as many possessions to cut the Battling Bishops' edge to a single point at 21-20 with 9:21 remaining in the first period

In the final nine-plus minutes before halftime, however, Methodist would struggle to score points, and N.C. Wesleyan capitalized. Although it shot 8-of-22 from the floor in that span (.364), NCWC turned the ball over only once. Meanwhile MU missed its final eight first-half field-goal attempts and had four turnovers as it scored entirely via seven free-throw shots. As the buzzer sounded and the two teams departed for their respective locker rooms at intermission, the Battling Bishops were ahead by a 42-27 margin.
 
N.C. Wesleyan would hold a double-figure lead throughout the entire second half, and extended its edge to as much as 25 points at one point.
 
For the evening, MU shot 45.6 percent from the floor (26-57), including 58.6 percent in the second half (17-29). NCWC was consistent throughout as it hit 37-of-78 field-goal attempts (.474) to end the night with virtually identical first-half and second-half shooting splits (.474 and .475, respectively). The Battling Bishops held a 48-37 advantage in rebounds.
 
Jackie Lyles had 22 points to lead all players and also totaled seven rebounds for Methodist. Monique Lofton scored 10 points, and Campbell finished with 16. Alexis Wallace had six points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals.
 
Shanice Goree led five N.C. Wesleyan players in double figures as she had 19 points to go along with four assists. Jordan Cager had 17 points and five rebounds, and Tiffany Bell totaled 15 points and six rebounds. Kourtney Salisbury had 14 points and seven assists, and Kenyata Harris chipped in 11 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals.
 
MU will play next this weekend as it travels to Danville, Va., for a conference game with Averett on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 2:00 pm.