Dec. 30, 2000
Box Score
The Western Carolina women's basketball team fell to UNC Greensboro 67-60 in Southern Conference action December 30 in Fleming Gym.
UNCG (7-3, 2-0) remained undefeated in the conference despite connecting on just 26 of 74 shots (35.1 percent), its second worst performance of the season. However, that was offset by forcing a season-high 30 turnovers while committing 16, and shooting 73.3 percent from the line, while the Lady Catamounts (6-4, 0-2) were just 13 of 22 (59.1 percent).
The Spartans led at halftime, 30-27, and held a two-point lead, 43-41 at the 10:36 mark after a jumper by Western's Laura Echols, when Nicole Murray sparked a 15-4 run over a 4:02 span for a 13-point lead, 58-45 at the 5:46 mark. Murray scored two layups and a three-pointer during the run, and WCU came no closer than seven the rest of the game, on a pair of free throws by Marsha McGillivary with 39 seconds remaining to close out the scoring.
In the first half, UNCG jumped out to a 16-5 lead as Western missed nine of its first 11 shots. After a free throw by Williams gave UNCG a 17-7 lead at 9:04, the Lady Catamounts found their shooting touch in an 18-6 run over the next 6:41, taking its only lead of the game at 25-23 on a three-pointer by April Fleck at the 2:23 mark.
The Spartans responded by scoring seven of the last nine points of the half. Katie DelCampo's two free throws at the 2:12 mark tied the game at 25, and she hit a trey at the 1:09 mark for a three-point lead. An Echols layup cut the lead to one with 45 seconds left in the half, but Williams scored a layup with 18 seconds left to take a three-point lead into halftime.
Williams led the Spartans in scoring for the third time this season and second straight contest, as she was seven-of-14 from the floor and added five rebounds in just 23 minutes. DelCampo added 11 points, while Murray's nine points was a career-high. Sandi Reid grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, and ChoRhonda Gwaltney added nine points, six assists, and three steals. It was the first time all season that the Spartans' three leading scorers (Brianne Dodgen, Samika Foster, and Gwaltney), were all held under double figures in scoring.
Western was led by Echols, the SoCon's leading scorer, who posted a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Tiffany Hamm came off the bench for eight points and 12 rebounds, while Fleck posted nine points and seven rebounds but committed eight turnovers.
