Jan. 22, 2005

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - Senior forward Jennifer Gardner scored a career-high 28 points to lead three Lady Catamounts in double figures as Western Carolina knocked off the Georgia Southern Eagles, 92-81, Saturday afternoon in the Ramsey Center.

Western honored its women's basketball alumni with a pre-game social and special halftime recognition Saturday afternoon. The Lady Catamounts are celebrating their 40th year of women's basketball in the modern era this season.

Gardner tallied her second double-double in a row, and fifth of the season, finishing with 11 boards to accompany her game-high in points. She was joined by front court classmate Lori Tanner with 13 points and a pair of rebounds. The senior tandem combined to connect on 14-of-14 free throws, marking the second-consecutive game they have been perfect from the charity stripe.

Rounding out Western's double-digit scorers was senior Sigita Maleraite with 13, nine of which came in the first half off three 3-pointers. The Kaunas, Lithuania native finished 4-of-8 from behind the 3-point arc as the Lady Cats nailed a season-high eight trifectas.

Georgia Southern (9-8, 6-5 SoCon) had three players reach double figures in scoring led by junior Nicole Newton a season-high 16 points. She added 11 rebounds to tally her fourth double-double of the season. Senior Dana Benemon equaled Newton's mark with 16, tying her career best and classmate Adrienne Early added 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting.

Western took an early 4-0 lead before the Eagles responded with a 6-0 spurt to take their first lead, 6-4. Western retook the lead on Maleraite's first 3-pointer and expanded its advantage to as many as four at the 13:19 mark.

The Eagles retaliated, however, with a 13-2 run to turn the four-point deficit into a seven-point advantage, its largest of the half. The stanza see-sawed back-and-forth with GSU holding a 39-35 advantage at the break.

The second half opened with Western running on an 8-2 run to reclaim the lead by two, 43-41, just over two minutes in. The teams traded buckets, tying on eight separate occasions before the Lady Catamounts finally broke through. Tied at 60 at the midway part of the half, Western outscored 18-11 over the next five minutes to take a seven-point, 78-71 lead.

Despite the efforts of the Eagles, the Lady Cats lead never dropped below three over the final five minutes and Western connected on all six of its free throws over the final two minutes to seal the win.

Western outrebounded Georgia Southern, who entered the game ranked second in the conference in rebounding margin, 42-37.

Western Carolina returns to action on Tuesday, January 25 as it kicks off a three-game road swing by traveling to Davidson to battle the Wildcats. Georgia Southern returns home to host the College of Charleston on Monday, January 24 in Hanner Fieldhouse.