UMO BRIEFS: Styles scores 26 points, UMO women dump archrival Barton

By UMO Media Relations
Published in Sports on February 24, 2016 1:48 PM

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UMO Media Relations

MOUNT OLIVE -- Ni'Ya Styles knocked down 19 of her career-high 26 points in the opening half, leading University of Mount Olive to a 70-66 conquest of Conference Carolinas women's basketball archrival Barton on Tuesday evening.

The Trojan women (17-10 overall, 15-6 CC) clinched a home game in the conference tournament, which begins Monday. Aerial Johnson just missed a double-double with 18 points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots.

Shy'lia Buie and Anamaria Zjacic dished out six and five assists, respectively, as Mount Olive extended its season-high win streak to seven games.

UMO led by 10 at halftime, only to see Barton move ahead 40-38 on the strength of 3-pointers by Tatyana Jackson, Alex Kimble and Karimah Dean. Buie's three-point play broke a 42-42 deadlock and put the Trojan women ahead to stay.

Johnson gave the Trojan women their biggest lead, 67-59, on consecutive 10-foot jumpers off back-to-back assists from Buie. Kimble's 3-pointer closed the gap to 66-63. Buie's free throw with 7.7 seconds to go made it a two-possession game.

BC's 3-point attempt missed as time expired.

Mount Olive concludes regular-season play at home Friday against Erskine (S.C.) College. Tip-off is 5:30 p.m. inside Kornegay Arena.

Men's basketball

MOUNT OLIVE -- Danny Shand converted a game-winning layup with 1.5 seconds left, lifting Barton to a 75-73 victory over Conference Carolinas foe University of Mount Olive on Tuesday evening.

Dominique Reed drained a game-tying 3-pointer with 11 seconds left in regulation. He emerged as one of three Trojans in double figures with 13 points. Dontrell Brite scored 15, followed by Mike Moore with 14.

Barton led 73-67 with 1:52 remaining in regulation. Brite's 15-foot jumper and a free throw by Moore trimmed the deficit to 73-70 with 41 seconds on the clock. The Bulldogs missed four consecutive free throws before Moore connected on his game-tying 3-pointer.

Shand, plagued by foul trouble, took the inbounds pass and ran the length of the court. His running jumper kissed off the glass and dropped through the net to seal the outcome.

The Trojans (15-12 overall, 10-9 CC) conclude regular-season play at home Friday against Erskine (S.C.). Despite the loss, UMO can still clinch an opening-round home game in the season-ending conference tournament.

Men's golf

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. -- University of Mount Olive sophomore Nick Adams posted a three-day total of 226 and shared 14th place individually during the Newberry College Men's Golf Invitational.

Adams shot a 73 on the final day.

Brady Hollenbacher (228) tied for 20th. Liam McAnally (231) shared 31st place. John Thatch (235) and Harry Bayley (237) rounded out the Trojans' team scoring.

UMO posted a 915 -- good enough for sixth place in the 13-team field.

The Trojans return to action March 16 at the Barton College Intercollegiate.

Lacrosse

The University of Mount Olive men's lacrosse team remained at No. 12 in the latest USILA Division II coaches poll.

The Trojan stickmen are 4-0 after victories over Roberts Wesleyan and in-state foe Catawba College. Matt Shields emerged as the offensive leader with seven totals and an assist.

Defending national champ Limestone is ranked No. 1.

The UMO women's team climbed to No. 12 nationally in the IWLCA Division II coaches poll. Unbeaten in five outings this season, the Trojans hammered Pfeiffer University behind a pair of five-goal outings from Riann Daziel and Claire Wigler.

The Trojans entertain Tiffin on Feb. 29.

Indoor track

Unviersity of Mount Olive took over the No. 1 spot in the USTFCCCA Division II Southeast Region poll.

The Trojans logged two NCAA Division II provisional qualifying times and broke three school records during a weekend meet at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem.

On the women's side, UMO jumped up to No. 7 in the Southeast. The Trojans set a school record in the distance medley relay. Rebecca Farnsley, who was named the Conference Carolinas track and field athlete-of-the-week, recorded the second-fastest 5,000-meter time in school history and posted the fourth-fastest time in the 3,000.

Both Mount Olive teams return to action Saturday in the season-ending Conference Carolinas Indoor Track and Field championship meet at the JDL Fast Track.