Staff report

SALISBURY — Behind a surreal performance by Lyrik Thorne, Catawba’s women’s basketball team crushed Emory & Henry 90-60 on Saturday to win the South Atlantic Conference regular-season championship.

The 14th-ranked Indians (22-4, 17-3) won their fifth in a row, stayed undefeated at home and finished one game ahead of Lenoir-Rhyne and three up on Lincoln Memorial, Carson-Newman and Wingate.

Thorne shot 9-for-10 on Senior Day at Goodman Arena, with five 3-pointers, and scored 25 points. She added five assists.

Nala Baker had eight points and eight rebounds. Just about everyone except the managers and coaches scored.

Catawba never trailed. The Indians led 23-16 after a quarter, and when they began the second quarter with a 9-0 run, it was all over.

Breanna Yarber scored 18 for the Wasps (10-18, 5-15), who committed 32 turnovers.

Top-seeded Catawba starts SAC tourney action in Rock Hill on Tuesday at noon. Eighth-seeded UVA Wise will provide the opposition.

Emory & Henry     16    18    14   12   — 60

Catawba                 23    27    20  20    — 90

CATAWBA — Thorne 25, McIntosh 9, Baker 8, Ingram 8, Foskey 8, Spry 6, Downs 6, Svenson 6, Helpman 5, Porter 3, Dixon-Booker 2, Wilson 2, Gueterman 2.