Feb. 19, 2005

Final Stats

Greenville, S.C. - Entering Saturday afternoon's road contest at Furman, Western Carolina senior forward Sigita Maleraite had appeared in 55 games as a Lady Catamount, averaging a modest 5.3 points per game. However, versus the Lady Paladins on this date, the Kaunas, Lithuania native only needed 16 minutes and 14 seconds to tie, and 18:46 to set a career-high in scoring.

Maleraite's 19 points, 18 of which came in the first half, led Western to a 57-53 win over the Furman Lady Paladins, who entered Saturday afternoon's game ranked second in the Southern Conference. Western's fourth-consecutive victory also thrusts the Lady Cats back above the .500 mark overall for the first time since mid-January at 13-12, and evened its conference mark at 9-9.

Joining her classmate in double figures was senior Jennifer Gardner with her 31st career double-double, ninth of the season. She tallied 10 points, six of which came from the free throw line, and 14 rebounds for the Lady Cats. Junior Teyawna Hardy continued her torrid pace in the month of February, tallying 15 points and five rebounds, adding a pair of steals and blocks on the defensive end. Since the calendar flipped, Hardy has averaged 12.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and two steals per game.

Also having good afternoon's for the Catamounts were senior Ki-Ki Glass, who dished out a season-high tying five assists while swiping a pair of steals. And freshman Chevon Keith equaled Glass in the thefts, while boarding seven missed shots.

Trailing after Furman's first possession of the game, 2-0, the Lady Catamounts answered as senior Shaketia Barnes drained a 3-pointer to give Western a lead they would not relinquish. Barnes finished with five points on the game, all of which came within the first 1:04 of the first half. Furman would tie the game twice, lastly with 16:37 remaining before the break.

Western Carolina broke open the close ball game with a 14-1 run that spanned five and a half minutes during the midpoint of the first half. When the dust had settled, the Lady Cats were ahead by a game-high 14 points, a lead in which they nursed into the locker room, leading at the break 35-24. Western did it with defense, limiting Furman to just 24 first half points on 10-of-31 shooting from the field, countering with 45-percent both from the floor and behind the arc on the other end.

With 5:58 remaining in regulation, WCU leading by 11, the Lady Paladins made a run at the Cats, pulling to within four, 55-51, on a Chrissy Phelps jumper with 1:59 to play. Catamount senior forward Lori Tanner hit one of two free throws with 1:13 to go and a second later Furman's Jen Nadalin connected on back-to-back foul shots to put the Lady Paladins within three.

On the ensuing possession, Furman's defense managed a stop, but the Lady Paladins were unable to score and fouled Jennifer Gardner with 15 ticks left on the clock. Gardner, who ranks second in the Southern Conference in free throw percentage, made one of two free throws to reach the final margin.

Western was able to hang on for the victory despite offensive struggles in the second half. The Lady Catamounts were held to a season-low for points in the second stanza (22) on only 23-percent shooting from the floor. WCU was 0-for-6 from behind the 3-point arc after halftime, and only drained 8-of-14 shots from the charity stripe.

Furman was led by the career-day of junior Tommi Paris with 25 points, 16 of which came in the first half. Senior Jen Nadalin was held four points below her season average, tallying 10 in the loss, while Katie Roach boarded a career-high 14 rebounds. The Lady Paladins, who led the SoCon in free throw percentage and ranked 10th nationally as a team, where held to 11-of-18 on the afternoon, 61-percent overall.

Western Carolina returns to action this Monday, February 21, when it hosts the Wofford Terriers at the Ramsey Center in the final regular season home game of the year. The game was originally slated for a Noon tip-off, but the game time has been pushed back to 7:00 pm. WCU will honor its five seniors -- Shaketia Barnes, Jennifer Gardner, Ki-Ki Glass, Sigita Maleraite, and Lori Tanner -- in a pre-game ceremony.