Robich, Corley lead Mount Olive past Pfeiffer

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on November 21, 2007 1:48 PM

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MOC Sports Information

MOUNT OLIVE -- Brittney Robich scored a career-high 24 points and Keona Corley added a career-high 19 points to go with 11 assists as Mount Olive withstood a second-half rally to defeat Pfeiffer 86-76 at Kornegay Arena.

It was the Conference Carolinas opener for both teams.

Mount Olive (1-1 overall, 1-0 CC) jumped out to an early seven-point lead as Robich hit back-to-back 3-pointers. Pfeiffer (2-2, 0-1) pulled within 12-10 after Kelly Mathis' three-point play with 15:54 remaining in the half. The Trojans came back with a 14-0 run, highlighted by Robich's 3-pointer and Tomeka Prichard's putback and free throw.

Pfeiffer got as close as 11 points, but Brittany Miller hit all three free throws after getting fouled on a 3-point attempt to give the Trojans their biggest lead at 42-25 with 1:35 remaining. Pfeiffer hit a pair of field goals in the final 90 seconds as Devona Knight's basket with 16 seconds remaining pulled the Falcons within 42-29 at halftime.

Corley scored Mount Olive's first two baskets of the second half as the Trojans built the lead to 15 points. But Cathi Kennings' 3-pointer triggered a 7-0 run and pulled Pfeiffer within 48-42 with 15:13 left to play. The Falcons missed a chance to convert a three-point play and Robich's 3-pointer highlighted a 10-2 run as the Trojans built the lead to 58-44 with 12:29 remaining.

The lead was still double figures when Kennings and Dominique China hit 3-pointers to help bring Pfeiffer within two and Denova Knight's putback tied the game 64-64 with 5:25 remaining. Corley dished to Helen Moore for a layup on Mount Olive's next possession to trigger a 6-0 run and put the Trojans ahead to stay.

Pfeiffer got as close as four points, but Moore found Miller for a backdoor layup and Robich's steal and end-to-end layup helped the Trojans build the lead to 78-68 with 2:17 left to play. The lead never fell below six the rest of the way as Corley and Robich combined to hit 6-of-6 free throws in the final 66 seconds.

Mount Olive shot 80.6 (25-for-31) percent from the line, including 15-for-17 in the second half.

Five Trojans finished in double figures as Moore scored 18 points, Miller added a career-best 13 points and Prichard finished with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Corley had five steals for Mount Olive, while Moore pulled down six rebounds.

Mount Olive returns to action Saturday at UNC Pembroke. Tip-off is 1 p.m.

PFEIFFER UNIVERSITY (2-2, 0-1)

Denova Knight 7-10 7-11 21; Allegra Shanee' Purnell 4-11 5-6 13; Cathi Kennings 4-10 3-4 13; Domonique China 3-10 4-4 11; Kelly Mathis 4-12 2-3 10; Ashelle Athill 2-3 1-4 5; Octavia Trammell 1-1 0-2 2; Nicole Maready 0-5 1-2 1; Amanda Short 0-0 0-0 0; Lauren Brittingham 0-0 0-0 0; Kalee Smith 0-0 0-0 0; Kendra Rutledge 0-1 0-0 0. TOTALS -- 25-63 23-36 76.

MOUNT OLIVE (1-1, 1-0)

Brittney Robich 7-13 6-6 24; Keona Corley 6-7 7-9 19; Helen Moore 7-15 4-6 18; Brittany Miller 4-8 5-7 13; Tomeka Prichard 3-6 3-3 10; Sierra Medeiros 1-2 0-0 2; Samone Bland 0-0 0-0 0; LaPorsha Davis 0-0 0-0 0; Keshaun Mozee 0-0 0-0 0; Latara Wade 0-0 0-0 0; Lakeisha Monroe 0-0 0-0 0; Shequanta McGee 0-0 0-0 0; Alisa Jones 0-0 0-0 0; Tahara Epps 0-1 0-0 0. TOTALS -- 28-52 25-31 86.

Halftime -- MOC 42-29. 3-point goals -- MOC 5-15, Pfeiffer 3-14. Rebounds -- MOC 33 (Prichard 8), Pfeiffer 39 (Knight 11). Assists -- MOC 20 (Corley 11), Pfeiffer 14 (Knight 4).