Williams’ 23 points lifts Bishops to 74-69 win over Meredith

Rocky Mount, NC - Freshman point guard Nicole Williams scored a career-high 23 points on Monday night, leading her North Carolina Wesleyan women’s basketball squad to a 74-69 win over Meredith College in Everett Gymnasium.  In an exciting game that featured eleven lead changes and eight ties, the Bishops came out on top after shooting an impressive 81 percent at the charity stripe.  Wesleyan evens its record at 2-2 on the season, while the Angels remain winless at 0-4.

Meredith took a slim 36-34 advantage into the break after shooting a solid 45.5 percent from the floor.  The Angels led by as many as seven on two occasions, but some clutch free throw shooting by Lawanda Scott and April Wilson closed the gap for the Bishops, who were 12-of-15 at the line in the half. 

Williams scored seven points in the final three minutes of the period to cut the deficit to just two at halftime.  Scott, Wilson, and Williams each scored 10 points in the half, while Meredith was led by Brittany Cornelius and Nicole Hall with 11 and 10, respectively.

The second half saw a Williams’ jumper tie the game just 30 seconds into the period.  The next nine minutes featured eight lead changes and two ties, the final coming at the 10:35 mark when Cornelius converted a lay-up to knot the score at 50-50.

On the ensuing possession, Wilson netted a jumper in the paint on a Liz Ansley pass to put Wesleyan on top 52-50.  The Bishops would not trail again as they twice pushed their lead to as many as six over the final ten minutes of play.

Meredith pulled to within one point with 1:39 remaining, but Wesleyan knocked down 8-of-8 free throws down the stretch to secure their second win of the season.

Williams finished with 23 points to pace Wesleyan.  Wilson and Scott each netted 19 on the night, while Scott completed the double-double with a game-high 15 rebounds.  Ansley rounded out NCWC’s double-figure scorers with 11, and fellow senior J.D. Richardson pull down 10 boards.

Hall led all scorers with 26 points and nine assists.  Cornelius finished with 20 for Meredith.

The difference in the game came at the free throw line where the Bishops knocked down 30-of-37 attempts.  The Angels were 7-of-10.  NCWC also dominated the boards 52-30.

Now winners of two straight, Wesleyan returns to action at home on Wednesday night when the Bishops host Chowan University.  Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. in Everett Gymnasium.