MONTREAT, N.C.— The Montreat women's basketball team had little trouble in its regular-season finale Friday night, cruising past the Warren Wilson College Owls to the tune of a 90-47 senior-night win. With the non-conference triumph inside McAlister Gymnasium, the Cavaliers improved to 19-9 on the year, their most wins in a single season since 2011-12.
 
Starting the game with three consecutive makes from the field, the Cavs wasted no time in building a substantial lead. Mariya Williams and Makayla Thompson combined to score Montreat's first 14 points, and a Ja'Liah Wilson jumper handed the hosts a 23-6 edge with 1:35 remaining in the quarter. The Cavaliers ultimately shot 60.0 percent (8-15 FG) in the period, and the defensive pressure shocked Warren Wilson into eight turnovers and a 2-for-13 (15.4 percent) showing from the field. After a quarter of play, Montreat led the Owls by 16 points (24-8).
 
The Cavs' offense performed even better in the second quarter, shooting 64.7 percent (10-16 FG) and scoring 30 points. A pair of Montreat runs bookended the frame as the hosts started the frame on a 10-0 run and ended it on a 12-0 spurt. Aebri Graham buried a trio of 3-pointers in the period, and the Cavaliers entered the break with a 54-19 lead.
 
The 54 points proved to be Montreat's highest-scoring half of the season, thanks in large part to its best shooting half of the year. The Cavs hit 20 of their 32 looks from the field (62.5 percent), and they shot 7-for-13 (53.8 percent) from beyond the arc. On the flip side, the Owls connected on just 21.4 percent (6-28 FG) of their looks overall and 30.0 percent (3-10 3-pt FG) from deep. At the break, Montreat owned significant edges in points in the paint (26-6), points off turnovers (14-3) and second-chance points (15-2). Thompson led all players at the intermission with 15 points and five steals, while Williams tallied 12 points, five rebounds and three assists.
 
Williams completely dominated Warren Wilson (1-23) in the third quarter. Not only did she score the opening five points for the Cavs, but she also racked up 13 points, nine boards, one block and one steal in the third alone. Behind her commanding quarter, the Cavaliers surged ahead of the Owls by 46 points (70-24) before taking a 76-36 lead into the final period.
 
Thompson and Williams, two of Montreat's three seniors honored on the night, poured in the initial 10 points for the Cavaliers in the fourth. As they were subbed out for their farewell sendoffs inside McAlister Gymnasium, the Cavs' subs continued to apply pressure. MiQuishia Patterson scored a transition basket with 2:05 remaining, giving the hosts their largest lead of the night at 88-41. In total, 15 Cavaliers saw the floor and 10 found their way onto the scoresheet as Montreat closed out a dominant 90-47 win over Warren Wilson.
 
"I'm proud of our seniors and am happy that we could send them out on a great note for their last home game," said head coach Josh Thompson.
 
The victory gave the Cavs their 19^th win of the year, their most since the 2011-12 season. Montreat also scored 90 points in a contest for the first time since a 95-74 win over Union College (Ky.) on Nov. 24, 2015.
 
"I'm also very proud of this team and how they've bought into everything I've asked of them this year," Thompson added. "We're excited to get prepared for the conference tournament."
 
Montreat finished the night with its second-best shooting percentage in a game this season (48.5 percent; 32-66 FG) and made nine of its 25 3-point looks (36.0 percent), as well as 17 of 26 free throws (65.4 percent). Meanwhile, Warren Wilson went 13-for-62 (21.0 percent) overall, 5-of-23 (21.7 percent) from deep and 16-for-22 (72.7 percent) at the charity stripe. The Cavaliers finished the night with a 44-14 points in the paint edge and a 33-8 advantage in second-chance points.
 
Williams recorded her 14^th double-double of the season Friday night, leading all players with 30 points and 20 rebounds. She also added three assists, three steals and two blocks. Thompson poured in 20 points and recorded five steals on senior night, and Graham contributed 12 points behind a 4-for-6 effort beyond the arc.
 
The Montreat women's basketball team now turns its attention to postseason play as the No. 6 seed in the upcoming Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament. The Cavaliers are set to square off against the No. 3-seeded Milligan University Buffaloes in an AAC quarterfinal clash on Thursday, Feb. 23. Tipoff time in Kingsport, Tenn. is yet to be announced.