Feb. 6, 2003

Final Stats

Chattanooga, Tenn. - Tiffany Hamm dominated inside and out to lead the Cats with 17 points and 10 rebounds en route to defeating Chattanooga, 73-69. The win puts WCU within one game of first place in the Southern Conference at 9-3, 16-5 overall. The Mocs fall to 17-4 and 10-2 in the SoCon. Tonight was also the first time the Cats beat UTC since the 1998-99 season.

The Catamounts took control of a see-saw game late in the second half with a 10-0 run that gave WCU a 63-55 lead on Yoneko Allen's 3-pointer with 1:35 to play. UTC crawled back, but the Cats went 9-for-12 at the free throw line over the last minute to keep the Lady Mocs at bay.

Chattanooga led 30-29 at halftime and built an eight-point lead in the early stages of the second half as Katasha Brown warmed up from outside. Western Carolina chipped away at the deficit, knotting the game at 55-all on Jennifer Gardner's layup with 6:00 to play. UTC misfired or committed a turnover on seven straight possessions while WCU took control.

Western Carolina shot 51.9 percent from the field, outrebounded UTC 33-30 and the Cats forced 22 turnovers. WCU's Janetta Heggins tied season highs with five steals and two blocks. Allen finished with 14 points, while Gardner and Christy Blackwell both scored 13, a season-high for Blackwell. Gardner also added five rebounds, which put her over 300 for her career (302).

Brown and Heather McDivitt both finished with 15 points. Brown was 3-for-3 on 3-pointers and McDivitt was 3-for-5. Katie Galloway scored 13 on the strength of 4-for-5 3's. Jennifer Wilson grabbed seven rebounds and Miranda Warfield added six.

Western Carolina travels to Georgia Southern Monday for a 7 p.m. tip-off, while the Lady Mocs have the weekend off before taking on UNC Greensboro Monday at 5:15 p.m. in the first half of a women's-men's doubleheader.