Dec. 20, 2007

Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina women's basketball had the recipe for success, against Chattanooga on Thursday, with four players in double figures and scoring over 80 points, but the Lady Catamounts couldn't overcome the sharp-shooting of the Lady Mocs. Western Carolina (8-3, 0-1 SoCon) dropped its opening Southern Conference game of the season 86-81 to rival Chattanooga (8-3, 2-0 SoCon) in the Ramsey Center.

The game was overshadowed by the first-half injury of 6-4 junior Brooke Johnson who was attempting to defend a lay-up by Chattanooga's Laura Hall. Johnson fell to the court in pain as Hall made the basket with 1:49 left in the half. Johnson left the game aided by athletic training staff and did not return. She will have an MRI on Friday and her status is questionable until the results are more conclusive.

Hall's basket gave Chattanooga a 31-29 lead but Western Carolina quickly tied it thanks to a pair of free throws by Jessika Johnson, who had come into the game for the injured Brooke Johnson. The tie was short-lived as Chattanooga went on a 6-0 run, thanks in part to a pair of three-pointers, one of which was a buzzer beater, to close out the half.

Chattanooga built a 10-point lead to start the second half and Western Carolina looked as if Brooke Johnson's injury had taken everything out of them. However, the Lady Cats fought back and went on a 16-5 run to take its first lead of the second half, 63-62. Western Carolina built a four point lead, thanks to a three-pointer by Monique Dawson, but the Lady Mocs battled back again.

Chattanooga tied the game, the seventh tie of the game, at 72 with 4:33 remaining and took the lead thanks to 1-of-2 free throws by LaCondra Mason. Western Carolina answered with 1-of-2 free throws by Ashley Pellom for the eighth tie of the game at 73.

A three-point basketball by Chattanooga's Kristen Spann allowed Chattanooga to reclaim the lead and the Lady Mocs never trailed again. Western Carolina did cut it down to three twice, after Chattanooga led by as much as five, but could never get any closer.

Chattanooga shot 50 percent from the field and 45 percent from the three-point line, hitting nine three-pointers in the game. Western Carolina shot 48.5 percent from the field and just 33.3 percent from behind the three-point arch. Both teams connected on 13 free throws in the game.

Senior Monique Dawson scored a season-high 20 points, the first time this season she has posted 20 or more points. Junior Kendra Eaton bested her career-high of 15 points for the second time this season and also had one steal. Senior Chevon Keith tallied her fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds and fellow senior Ashley Pellom rounded out the double figure scoring with 11 points.

Western Carolina will take a break for the holidays and return to action on December 30 as the club travels to Raleigh, N.C. to take on North Carolina State.

Head Coach Kellie Harper Quotes:

"Chattanooga lives and dies on the three-pointer and tonight they live on it. They made them. We gave up too many easy baskets. I thought we didn't play as intelligent defensively as we needed to."

THE STATUS OF Brooke Johnson:

"Brooke will have an MRI tomorrow (Friday) and we will know more when those results come in. I saw her go down and it scared me. But no matter what this team will have to go on with or without her. I told Brooke no matter what happens we will get her through this. If it is what we fear, an ACL, I have been through it and so have several of her teammates and we will help her any way we can. We are worried most about her health right now and we want her to be okay and keep our fingers crossed. But at the same time we have to understand we have to have other people step up."