Jan. 26, 2008

Box Score

STATESBORO, Ga. - After being down by 13 at the half, Western Carolina's women's basketball team made a valiant comeback attempt in the second half, but the Lady Catamounts were two points shy of a miracle; falling to Georgia Southern 64-62 Saturday in Hanner Fieldhouse. Western Carolina drops to 14-6 on the season and 6-2 in the Southern Conference, while Georgia Southern improves to 11-8 and 7-1 in the SoCon.

Western Carolina only hit three field goals in the first 20 minutes of the game. The Lady Cats struggled to find the basket but stayed in the game at the charity stripe hitting 7-of-10 from the free throw line. Georgia Southern also struggled from the field which helped keep Western Carolina in the game. The Eagles shot 28.1 percent from the field and the Lady Catamounts shot a first-half season-low of 11.5 percent. WCU was also held to a season-low 13 first half points.

As bleak as the first half seemed, the second half shone brightly for Western Carolina. It was an inauspicious start for the Lady Cats in the second 20 minutes as Georgia Southern opened the second half with a bucket to lead by 14, 27-13.

It took Western Carolina 20 minutes to hit three field goals in the first half, and it took the Lady Catamounts three minutes, three three-pointers and a 14-0 run to tie the game at 27 at the 16:58 mark to start the second half. Three-point baskets by Chevon Keith, Monique Dawson and Lauren Powell accounted for nine of the 14 points in the run. Western Carolina took the lead twice in the second half, once off a pair of Kendra Eaton free throws and the second time thanks to a bucket by Kristen Feemster.

Georgia Southern retook the lead at the 12:33 minute mark off a three-pointer by Tiffany Brown and never relinquished it again. The Eagles pushed their lead as much as nine points before the Lady Cats mounted another comeback attempt. Western Carolina trimmed the lead to one points, 61-60, with 1:56 remaining thanks to a lay-up by Keith and trimmed it to one point again with 41 second remaining off a bucket by Eaton.

With 1.5 seconds remaining, Western Carolina fouled the Eagles Ashley Rivens to put her at the line with one and one. Rivens hit the first free throw and missed the second and the rebound was pulled down by Keith.

Head Coach Kellie Harper quickly called a timeout and the Lady Catamounts had one last desperation chance, down by two. Jessika Johnson launched a pass to mid court as the seconds quickly ticked away and the ball was caught by Keith but she was defended by two Eagles and couldn't get a shot off as time expired.

Eaton scored 14 second-half points to end the contest with a game-leading 15. Dawson had 11 of her 13 points in the second half and was 5-of-12 from the field. Keith was strong under the basket with 15 rebounds and also had seven points.

The loss ends the Lady Catamounts' six-game winning streak and four-game SoCon road game winning streak. Western Carolina did have everyone play and everyone score for the fifth consecutive game.

Western Carolina returns home Monday for the first of three games in the Ramsey Center, The Lady Catamounts host College of Charleston at 5 p.m. in the front end of a double-header with the Catamount men's basketball team who tip-off at 7 p.m.