RENO - For the second straight game, Carson High held its opponent under 30 points, and for the second straight game it meant an easy win.
An 18-6 run in the final 5 1/2 minutes of the third quarter carried the Senators to a 48-20 victory over Hug Tuesday night.
The win upped Carson's record to 7-3 entering tonight's game (6 p.m.) at Galena. The Grizzlies and Carson are battling for second place and a first-round home playoff game.
Coach Todd Ackerman said it will be different facing the Grizzlies last year, who lost superstar front-liner Emily Burns to graduation.
"They are a lot different," Ackerman said. "Taylor (Schaller) is their good shooter. They go to her somewhere down the line. I think they're pretty inexperienced (compared to last year). They have some quickness."
If Carson can play defense like it has against Hug and Damonte Ranch, the Grizzlies will be in for a long night. Carson has had a lot of success with its trapping defense, and no doubt Galena will see a lot of that tonight.
Point guard Savannah Smith says Carson is getting better, and the pressure was good enough to hold Hug scoreless in the first quarter.
"We're definitely getting better on defense," said Smith, who had eight points and several steals. "Our defense determines what we're going to do on offense. It enables us to get in transition."
Carson started slow in the first half despite a 9-0 edge after one and a 17-7 bulge at the half. Carson shot just 32 percent from the floor and had several misses shots inside 5 feet.
"We had some good shots in the first half," Ackerman said. "We missed a few layups and had nice open looks on some longer shots."
The drought continued for the first 2 1/2 minutes of the second half, as the Senators went 0-for-6. Fortunately for Carson, Hug had four turnovers and two missed shots on its first six possessions of the second half.
The Senators got a layup from Tiana McAllister-Daggs that led to a 16-6 quarter-ending surge and a 35-13 lead entering the final period. Smith had six of her eight points in that stretch, while Eliza Matley had five points and Maddi Saarem dropped in a 3-pointer.
Carson's lead climbed to a game-high 28 (43-15) thanks to an 8-2 surge in a two-minute stretch. Emily Collins, who finished with 10 points, had seven consecutive Carson points during the surge.
Matley led Carson with 11 points.
