GRANTHAM, Pa. - Senior Ty Bender scored a career-high 16 points while sophomore Sara Tarbert totaled her 12th double double of the season as the Stevenson women's basketball team overcame a first half deficit en route a 59-46 victory over Messiah in a Commonwealth Conference contest Saturday afternoon at Brubaker Auditorium.

The Mustangs (18-2, 12-0 MAC), who trailed for the first 24:05 of the contest, moved two wins closer to tying the program record for wins in a season after posted their 16th-straight. The team is also one win from clinching the number one seed and home court advantage in the Commonwealth Conference playoffs.

The Falcons (12-10, 8-5), who currently sit in third place in the conference standings, jumped out to a 10-4 lead early in the first half as Stevenson connected on just four of its first 15 shots. The Mustangs also totaled 16 turnovers in the first and tied its season worst with 23 turnovers in the game.

After a layup by Bender with 9:38 left in the half, the Mustangs were held without a field goal for the next 7:47 before a layup by Tarbert, which sparked a 10-5 run to end the half. Trailing by seven with 53 seconds remaining in the first half, the Mustangs would score the final five points in the half including a three-pointer at the buzzer by Bender.

Following a back and forth first four minutes of the second half, senior Kayleigh Guzek hit her first of two three-pointers to spark a 14-5 run and give Stevenson its first lead of the game, one it did not relinquish.

The hosts would get as close as five following a jumper by Gillian Glackin with 8:22 remaining but that would be as close as Messiah would get as the Mustangs scored the next 14 points to build a 19-point lead.

The Falcons totaled just six made field goals in the second half and committed 11 turnovers.

Tarbert finished with 15 points, 13 rebounds and six steals while Bender chipped in with eight boards. Guzek joined the duo in double figure scoring, totaling 12 of her 14 points in the second half. The trio totaled 18 of the team's 22 made field goals.

Glackin led Messiah with a team-high 13 points and five rebounds. The Falcons were held to just 46 points, its second lowest total of the season.

Stevenson outrebounded the Falcons, 45-28, including 18 on the offensive end. The Mustangs have averaged 17.0 offensive rebounds in the last four games.

The Mustangs, who are three games ahead of second-place Albright, returns to action on Wednesday, February 11 when they travel to Alvernia beginning at 6:00 p.m. Stevenson defeated the Crusaders 65-47 in the first meeting. Listen to the game live, here.