MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. — King University women's basketball closed out its road trip with a strong 75–65 win over Mount Olive on Saturday afternoon inside Kornegay Arena. With the victory, the Tornado improve to 14–12 overall and 11–8 in Conference Carolinas, while the Trojans fall to 7–17 (4–14 CC).
King controlled the opening half, weathered a Mount Olive push in the third quarter, and delivered a dominant fourth-quarter surge to secure the double-digit win.
Game Flow
King set the tone early, shooting 50 percent in the opening quarter to build a 21–11 lead. The Tornado continued to execute efficiently in the second period, knocking down two threes and going a perfect 4-for-4 at the line to take a 37–26 advantage into halftime.
Mount Olive responded in the third, outscoring King 21–12 to cut the margin to 49–47 heading into the final frame.
The Tornado answered with their best quarter of the afternoon. King erupted for 26 fourth-quarter points, shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 75 percent at the line to pull away and seal the 75–65 road win.
King Highlights
King's starting five carried the scoring load, combining for all 75 points and delivering one of the team's most balanced offensive performances of the season.
- Alayna Smith powered the Tornado with 23 points, shooting 7-of-10 from the field and 9-of-12 at the line while adding seven rebounds.
- Aliyah Hawkins filled the stat sheet with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, knocking down two threes and playing all 40 minutes.
- Samantha Lee continued her strong shooting with 14 points, hitting 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.
- Jaelyn West added 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists while connecting on three threes.
- Mary Elizabeth Fox delivered another steady performance with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists.
King shot 44.0% from the field, 42.3% from three (11-of-26), and 76.9% at the free-throw line (20-of-26). The Tornado also grabbed 37 rebounds and scored 10 fast-break points.
Mount Olive Effort
The Trojans were led by:
- Jerin Truesdale: 23 points, 10 rebounds
- Savannah McAfee: 18 points, 10 rebounds
- Aniyah Vanhook: 8 points, 9 rebounds
Mount Olive shot 40.3% from the field but just 16.7% from three, and the Trojans were unable to match King's late-game execution.
Key Stats
| Category |
King |
Mount Olive |
| Field Goal % |
44.0% |
40.3% |
| Three-Point % |
42.3% |
16.7% |
| Free Throws |
20-26 |
4-9 |
| Rebounds |
37 |
41 |
| Fast-Break Points |
10 |
11 |
| Points off Turnovers |
7 |
10 |
| Points in the Paint |
22 |
46 |
Conclusion
King delivered a poised and efficient road performance, highlighted by a dominant fourth quarter and strong contributions across the starting lineup. Smith's 23 points and Hawkins' all-around impact helped the Tornado secure their 11th conference win and continue building momentum late in the season.
Next Game
King closes the regular season on Wednesday, February 25, traveling to North Greenville for a 5:00 p.m. matchup in Tigerville, S.C.
