APEX - Not much has changed about the way senior Panther Creek guard Kayla Seymour throws an entry pass to teammate Allie Tuttle.

But it's what happens before and after the pass is made that's been a major difference for the Lady Catamounts girls basketball team so far this season.

Seymour is more aware of where Tuttle is on the court, as some plays are all but designed to get the ball into the 6-foot-4 junior's hands. And Tuttle is better equipped -- and more confident -- to score once she reels in the throw from the UM-Baltimore County recruit.

On Tuesday, the two combined for 29 points as the Catamounts (6-3, 4-1 Tri-Nine) finished off host Middle Creek 52-38. Panther Creek, now winners of four straight games, scored 14 of the game's final 16 points to close out the Mustangs (3-3, 2-2).

Tuttle had 16 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks.

"Allie's a totally different player," said Seymour, who had 13 points, five rebounds and six assists. "She really worked hard this summer to get her strength and coordination up, and you can definitely see that on the court."

Tuttle averaged just 7.8 points per game last year. That number has more than doubled, as she's now averaging a team-high 16.4 per game.

"I realized that I had to step up," said Tuttle. "Kayla's been giving great passes to me and so have all the other guards. It's been working well for us."

Despite jumping out to an 11-3 lead in the first quarter, Panther Creek fell behind late in the second quarter before tying the game 22-all at halftime.

"Our focus in the second half was (to get Tuttle the ball)," Catamounts coach Geoff Bowman said. "That paid a lot of dividends."

The Catamounts and Mustangs traded the lead four times in the third quarter.

But in the fourth, Middle Creek went just 3-of-12 from the field. Panther Creek pulled away by knocking down 12-of-17 free throws in the same period.

The Catamounts were also led by junior Jordan Webb. The guard was a spark on both ends of the court, ending the night with 15 points, seven rebounds and four steals.

"For (Webb) to come out tonight and produce for us, whether it was her passing or her free throws at the end, that was money for us," Bowman said.

Middle Creek's leading scorer was Jasmine Shaw, who had 11 points in her second game of the season. Shaw had been sidelined for the season's first four games due to injury. On Tuesday, she found herself watching for most of the game's four quarters due to foul trouble.

"Her getting those fouls and having to sit as long as she did hurt a lot," said Middle Creek coach Wes Petty. "Offensively, she's our better players and defensively, she's one of the fastest kids on the floor."

It was also Panther Creek's first-ever road win at Middle Creek.

The Catamounts' first win in the series came last season.