Staff report
SALISBURY — Eight teams qualify for the South Atlantic Conference Tournament, and Catawba’s women’s basketball team entered Wednesday’s home game with Anderson tied for seventh with Anderson and Newberry.
That’s what you call a must-win, and the Indians pulled out a 69-66 decision that required overtime.
The win gave Catawba a split of the season series with the Trojans. Getting swept would have meant serious trouble.
Mary Spry (Carson) was good again, with 21 p0ints and eight rebounds. Sheree Gidney came off the bench to shoot 6-for-9 for 15 points. Kairah Dixon-Booker scored 12 and got the ball to Spry in some key situations. Brooklin Ingram scored 11.
Catawba (10-14, 8-11) wasn’t great, turning it over 21 times and shooting 4-for-19 on 3-pointers.
Anderson (11-14, 7-12) was somewhat worse, 35-percent shooting with 17 turnovers and 5-for-23 from long distance.
Catawba was down eight with two minutes left in regulation, but was able to rally. Ingram tied the game with 31 seconds left, and Spry re-tied it by making two free throws in the final seconds. It was 58-all after regulation.
Spry made three clutch free throws down the stretch in overtime, and Anderson missed a tying 3-pointer at the horn.
Anderson 13 13 17 15 8 — 66
Catawba 15 9 13 21 11 — 69
CATAWBA — Spry 21, Gidney 15, Dixon-Booker 12, Ingram 11, Wilson 7, Janus 3.
