Nov. 28, 2007

Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Two Lady Catamounts posted career-highs and five scored in double figures to help propel Western Carolina women's basketball (4-1) to an 89-74 victory over instate rival UNC Asheville (4-3) Wednesday night in the Ramsey Center. Western Carolina returns to action on Sunday, traveling to Middle Tennessee for a 3 p.m. tip-off.

Center Brooke Johnson tallied a career-high six blocks and scored a season-high 21 points in the Lady Catamount's win. The junior from Seymour, Tenn. has scored in double figures four of the first five games of the season.

Western Carolina had to shake some of the rust off their shoes after taking a nine day hiatus from the hardwood. The Lady Catamounts began to hit a stride after breaking a 13-13 tie at the 14:35 minute mark in the first half when senior Jessika Johnson hit a jumper in the paint to give WCU a 15-13 lead.

The Lady Catamounts led by just one point, 27-26, with 5:28 remaining in the half, but went on a 17-4 run to build their lead to 14 heading into the locker room. Senior Ashley Pellom hit a jumper and was 4-for-4 from the charity stripe in the run to help WCU build its lead.

Western Carolina led by as much as 19 points four times in the second half. The Lady Catamounts shot a scorching 56.7 percent from the field in the last 20 minutes of the game and ended the contest shooting a season-high 50 percent.

All 11 players scored in the contest and Western Carolina got 44 of its 89 points from the bench. One player coming off the bench had a career night as sophomore Heather Swayne scored a career-high 10 points - the first time the guard has hit the double figure mark.

Blocked shots were also a big stat for the Lady Catamounts as the club batted away 10 in the game - just two shy of tying the school record for blocked shots.

Senior Chevon Keith notched her third double-double this season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. It is also the fourth time in six games she has scored in double figures.

Pellom scored in double figures for the third straight game ending the contest with 14 points. Jessika Johnson also had a season-high with 10 points.

HEAD COACH Kellie Harper QUOTES:

"There are definitely two sides to this win. If you look at the offensive stats we had an 89 point production night which is pleasing. Defensively I am disappointed. I do not think we played well defensively. I felt like at times we got out hustled, which is not the nature of this team. We didn't play a smart game on the defensive end. I am hoping it is a bit of rust but as a coach you can't assume that is what it is. So as a coach you have to regroup and in the next couple of practices get back to where we can defend somebody."

Talk about the play of Brooke Johnson tonight:

"Brooke is such a presence on both ends of the floor. She is one of the best three-point shooters in our conference. That is such a nice thing to have such versatility - to have her step beyond the three-point line and post up and go to the other end allowing our guard to put better ball pressure because they know she is in the paint."

Scouting Middle Tennessee:

"Middle Tennessee is going to press us for 40 minutes. They are going to try and make it hard for us to play inside so we are going to try and continue our transition game and look to get easy buckets. They execute really well offensively in their sets and are a very good basketball team. It is going to be a challenge for us."