Belmont, NC- Heather Schleupner tied her career-high with 27 points, and Nicole Woods recorded a double-double as Belmont Abbey (11-4 overall, 7-1 CVAC) defeated Coker (4-11, 1-7) 85-49 at the Wheeler Center Saturday.
 
The Crusaders never trailed in the contest, jumping out to a quick 9-0. Coker scored their first basket 4:30 into the game, then Belmont Abbey scored eight more unanswered points, taking a 17-2 lead when Schleupner hit a three-pointer with 13:35 left. The visiting Cobras tried to rally, and cut the score to 25-15 on a Shamae Hemingway/Conway, SC basket at the 7:09 mark. Belmont Abbey never saw their lead go below double digits, though, as the Crusaders held Coker to 35% shooting in the opening half, and took a 40-25 lead to the locker room.
 
Coker's Michelle Glover/Beaufort, SC scored the first basket of the second half to cut the lead to 40-27, but Belmont Abbey then went on a 14-2 run over the next 3:52 to take complete command of the game. Woods, Schleupner and Jervorah Whitfield scored 12 of the 14 points in the run, and the Crusaders had a 54-29 lead with 15:44 still left in the game.

Belmont Abbey's largest lead was 38 before they settled for the 36 point victory. The Crusaders shot 54% in the second half and 51% for the game, and held the Cobras to 30% for the second half and 33% overall.

Schleupner hit six three-pointers on the night, one shy of tying the school record, and Woods finished with 16 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Debra Wilcox finished with 11 points and 9 rebounds, and Whitfield had eight points, six, rebounds, six steals and five assists.

Hemingway led Coker with 22 points and 11 rebounds, and India Elliott/Faison, NC finished with 11 points.

Coker hosts Pfeiffer University Monday night, January 24, at 5:30 PM.