Rocky Mount, NC - The number three seed Battling Bishop women's basketball team opened the USA South Conference Tournament with a commanding 82-41 victory over sixth-seeded Meredith on Tuesday evening at Everett Gymnasium. With the win, the Battling Bishops advance to the semifinals on Thursday at Brevard.

The Basics:
Score: N.C. Wesleyan 82, Meredith 41
Location/Venue: Rocky Mount, NC / Everett Gymnasium
Records: N.C. Wesleyan (16-8, 12-4 USA South), Meredith (8-17, 5-11 USA South)

Wesleyan jumped out to a fast start, outscoring Meredith 21-10 in the first quarter. The Bishops continued to apply pressure in the second, taking a 39-17 lead into halftime. Their dominance carried into the second half, as NCWU poured in 23 points in the third quarter and closed the game with a 20-point fourth quarter.

Anaya Hall led the Bishops with eleven points and seven rebounds, while Dorinda Jordan and Corynthian Williams each added ten points. Iyania Evans provided a spark off the bench with ten points, and Joy Ezeh contributed nine points and nine boards. Wesleyan also showcased impressive depth with 40 bench points and 52 points in the paint.

Defensively, the Bishops forced 31 turnovers, resulting in 36 points off takeaways. Nadia Simmons led Wesleyan with five assists and three steals, while Leila Copeland tallied four steals. Wesleyan dominated the glass with a 44-35 rebounding advantage.

Meredith  was led by Paris Bethea and Danae Hawkins, who each scored nine points. Rylie Wade added eight points and grabbed a game-high ten rebounds for the Avenging Angels.

The Battling Bishops shot 42.7% (32-of-75) from the field, while holding Meredith to just 30.2% shooting. Wesleyan capitalized in transition with 31 fast break points and never trailed in the contest.

Up Next:
NCWU will travel to the #2 seed Brevard on Thursday at 6:00 PM in the USA South Semifinals.