Nov. 22, 2002

Final Stats

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. --- Western Carolina's women's basketball team notched its first victory for the year in a 85-62 win over Gardner-Webb in the season opener for both teams on Friday night. The Catamounts were paced by junior Tiffany Hamm, who posted the game's only double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Freshman Brooke Wilkinson led the way for GWU with 14 points.

Western Carolina raced out to an early 8-2 lead, but Gardner-Webb stormed back behind back-to-back three pointers from Katie Gravel, who finished with 12 points. The game see-sawed back and forth from there until Gardner-Webb got a three pointer from Wilkinson to take a 32-31 lead with 3:35 remaining in the first half. That would prove to be the Bulldogs' last lead of the evening, however, as Western Carolina closed the half on an 11-0 run for the 42-32 lead at the break. WCU's Yoneko Allen keyed the run with a jumper and a three.

The Bulldogs picked up 14 of their 20 made free throws in the second half as Western ran into foul trouble. Gardner-Webb cut the Catamount lead back to 10 at 52-42 on a Crissy Guzman layup, but Hamm hit consecutive jumpers to ignite an 8-2 WCU run that essentially put the game away.

Western Carolina's lead ballooned to 28 points with 2:47 left in the game, but Gardner-Webb closed the game on a 9-4 run for the final margin.

WCU shot 51 percent from the field and 70 percent from the line. Allen and Melissa Ervin both posted double figures for the Cats with 18 and 10 points, respectively. The Catamounts outrebounded the Bulldogs, 53-44, for the night.

Western Carolina and Gardner-Webb both face High Point next. WCU hosts the Panthers on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 2 p.m., while the Bulldogs travel to High Point on Tuesday, Nov. 26, for a 7 p.m. contest.