Lady Royals Pull Away Late to Defeat Tennessee Wesleyan

The Lady Royals used a strong fourth-quarter surge to secure a 78–67 home victory over Tennessee Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon inside Douglas E. Karnes Arena.

The Lady Royals led 21–16 after the first quarter and took a narrow 38–36 advantage into halftime after the Bulldogs closed the gap in the second. The two teams continued to trade baskets in the third period, with the Royals holding a slim 55–55 tie heading into the final 10 minutes.

The difference came in the fourth quarter, as Johnson outscored Tennessee Wesleyan 23–12. The Royals tightened defensively while finding rhythm on the offensive end, creating separation down the stretch and sealing the win at the free-throw line.

Emery Tollett paced the Royals with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, recording a double-double and stuffing the stat sheet. Olivia Bolduc added 16 points, while Gibson Boykin chipped in 13 points. Shamiya Francis and Megan Biliter each scored 10 points off the bench, providing key contributions to the balanced scoring effort.

Johnson finished the game with 36 rebounds and 15 assists, while forcing 19 turnovers that helped swing momentum in the second half.

The Lady Royals return to Douglas E. Karnes Arena for their next contest on January 14, when they host Bluefield in home action.