Jan. 28, 2008

Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina women's basketball pulled down a season-high 59 boards to help the Lady Catamounts rebound to a 60-49 victory over College of Charleston (9-10, 5-4 SoCon) Monday in the Ramsey Center. With the win, the club improves to 15-6 on the season and 7-2 in the Southern Conference. The Lady Catamounts move back into at tie for second place in the SoCon race after Georgia Southern suffered a 64-50 loss at Chattanooga.

Rebounding was the watchword of the night as the sound of crashing boards reverberated throughout the Ramsey Center. It kept Western Carolina balanced in a game where the Lady Catamounts struggled from the field. WCU shot 27.5 percent in the first half but the Lady Cats pulled down 32 first-half rebounds, 19 of them on the offensive end.

Western Carolina had just nine players available as junior forward Kendra Eaton sat out the game due to an injury she suffered in the contest against Georgia Southern. She is currently being evaluated and her status is questionable. This gave senior guard Ashley Pellom her first start of the season with Head Coach Kellie Harper starting four guards and one forward against the Cougars.

Senior forward Jessika Johnson hit the first two field goals of the game and accounted for the only buckets for Western Carolina in the first five plus minutes of the game. The Lady Catamounts warmed up from the field and built as much as a seven point lead in the first half and ended the first 20 minutes leading by five, 25-20.

The Lady Catamounts had a better second half shooting 38.9 percent but was surprisingly 0-of-7 from the three-point line. The club ended the contest with just one made three-pointer. Western Carolina ended the game shooting 32.9 percent from the field and was 60 percent from the free throw line.

Senior Chevon Keith had a strong showing on the glass, pulling down 13 rebounds. It is the second consecutive game she has tallied double figure rebounds and the 11th double figure rebounding performance this season. She also moved into fifth place in the Lady Catamount record books with 847 career rebounds.

Johnson and junior Lauren Powell each had 11 points in the game. Johnson also had two blocks which gives her 61 in her career and moves her into a tie for ninth place in the Lady Catamount record books. Sophomore Kristen Feemster pulled down a season-high nine rebounds and Pellom and Dawson each had nine points.

The win not only put Western Carolina back on the winning track it was also a milestone for Harper. With her 66th victory at the helm of the Lady Catamount program, she now has the second-most wins in school history.

Western Carolina returns to action Saturday to host Davidson. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. in the Ramsey Center.