Toppers beat No. 18 William Carey in Hattiesburg
HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Blue Mountain Christian beat No. 18 William Carey 69-64 on Saturday, handing the Crusaders an SSAC loss after a tightly contested opening quarter and a strong finish by the visitors, Blue Mountain Christian said.
The Toppers shot 47.2% (25-of-53) and dominated the glass, out-rebounding William Carey 46-28 to generate extra possessions. Blue Mountain Christian scored 13 second-chance points and converted key free throws in the fourth quarter while securing defensive stops to protect its lead, the school said.
Maddie Kirk led the Toppers with 20 points, adding six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Kathryn Echols scored 14 points with six rebounds, and McKenzie Williams had 15 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Lena Taylor added 10 points and six rebounds, and Isabella Carlson had five points and five assists, Blue Mountain Christian said.
The victory gives Blue Mountain Christian momentum heading into the Southern States Athletic Conference Basketball Championship Tournament, where the Toppers will enter as the sixth seed. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
