WILSON, NC — The University of Mount Olive women’s basketball team displayed early confidence and late determination but came up short in a 79–61 road loss to Conference Carolinas rival Barton on Wednesday night.

The Trojans set the tone early, opening the game on a 9–0 run and holding Barton scoreless for the first four minutes. Mount Olive shot an efficient 46.2 percent from the field in the opening quarter and carried a 15–10 lead after one, fueled by early scoring from Jada Priebe and Kayla Jackson.

Momentum shifted in the second quarter as Barton’s defense tightened. Mount Olive managed just six points in the period while struggling with turnovers, heading into halftime trailing despite strong rebounding efforts from Savannah McAfee, who remained active on both ends of the floor.

The Trojans continued to compete after the break but faced challenges offensively in the third quarter. Mount Olive remained aggressive attacking the paint and drawing fouls, but shots were slow to fall as Barton extended its lead.

Mount Olive closed the game on a positive note with its strongest offensive showing in the fourth quarter, scoring 25 points. Jackson led the Trojans with 12 points, while Priebe and Aniyah Vanhook each added 11. McAfee anchored the effort on the boards, pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds.

Mount Olive moves to 2–6 overall and 0–4 in Conference Carolinas play. The Trojans will look to carry their late-game momentum into their next matchup as they remain on the road to face Winston-Salem State on Saturday, with tipoff scheduled for 2 p.m.