Ladondra Johnson scored 23 points – 13 coming in the second half – and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Young Harris College women’s basketball team defeated Franklin Pierce University 70-60 on Saturday at the Alario Center in the first day of the Big Easy Challenge.

The Mountain Lions improved to 7-1 while the Ravens, who made the NCAA Division II tournament a year ago, fell to 5-4.

Young Harris led 30-29 late in the first half before Breanna Gleeson hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the Mountain Lions a 36-29 lead with 2:01 left in the half. Young Harris, which shot 51.5 percent (17-of-33) in the opening 20 minutes, took a 38-33 lead into the intermission.

Franklin Pierce used a 6-2 run at the start of the second half to take a 41-40 lead with 16:26 to play on a put back by Brooke Coderre, who scored 16 of her team-high 21 points in the final 20 minutes.

The teams would trade baskets over the next few minutes before Young Harris’ Peyton Robertson, a Chestatee High graduate, converted a 3-point play with 13:58 remaining to give the Mountain Lions the lead for good at 45-44.