Dahlonega, Ga. – Career-high scoring nights from Keiara Middleton and Valerie Harris couldn’t help the University of West Alabama women’s basketball team pick up its first victory of the season, as UWA (0-5) fell to Carson Newman 97-72 in the third game of the X-Trem Shootout.

Middleton, a Birmingham, Ala.-native, led UWA with 25 points, followed by 21 from Harris, a product of Lake, Miss. Danielle Baldwin rounded out the double digit scoring with 10 points. Harris and Jenni Thomley tied for the team lead in rebounds with nine.

UWA, which led most of the first half, held CNC in check until the 13:32 mark of the contest. Angela Volentine, who led the Eagles in scoring, hit a trey to put CNC up for the first time since the 18:21 mark of the opening stanza. UWA pushed the lead back out to three points behind a three-pointer from Erin Courington and the back end of a one and one from Middleton. The Eagles erased the narrow margin and took the lead on a pair of free throws from Ashley Kyle with 10:49 remaining in the game. CNC continued to add to its lead, reaching its first double digit margin, 10 points, with 6:49 remaining to play on a Zoriah Williams layup.

The Tigers opened the contest on a 15-8 run over the first seven minutes. UWA reached its largest lead of the game with 1:41 to play before the break, as Baldwin put the Red and White up 35-26. Volentine’s layup with 16 second left in the first half cut the Tigers lead to seven at the intermission.

UWA shot 44.3-percent from the floor in the contest and 25-percent from behind the arc. The Tigers pulled down 34 rebounds on the night.

West Alabama returns to action on Friday, Dec. 5, as the Tigers take part in the West Florida Classic in Pensacola, Fla. UWA opens the Classic against Livingstone College with scheduled 4:00 p.m. start.