Nov. 25, 2008

Box Score

CATAMOUNT TRACKS PODCAST - POWELL POSTGAME INTERVIEW

LINK TO ESPN.COM ARTICLE FEATURING Swayne AND JACKSON

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Three Western Carolina players scored in double figures but it just wasn’t enough to stop No. 9/12 Tennessee as the Lady Catamounts dropped a 81-56 decision to the Lady Vols Tuesday in Thompson Boling Arena. Western Carolina falls to 2-2 on the season and Tennessee improves to 4-1.

The Lady Catamounts enjoyed two brief leads in the first 10 minutes of the contest. The first was thanks to a three-pointer from the left side by freshman Kalai’Shea Menendez to give WCU a 17-16 advantage. Tennessee quickly re-took the lead, 18-17, but Western Carolina answered when Emily Clarke dropped in a bucket to make it 19-18 with 9:23 left in the first half. Tennessee, however, quickly answered with a three pointer by Sydney Smallbone which began a 21-7 run by Tennessee and all but took the Lady Catamounts out of their game. In that nine plus minute span, Western Carolina hit just two field goals, a two-pointer by Clarke and a three-pointer by Brooke Johnson, and also a pair of free throws by Johnson.

Senior Lauren Powell gave a bit of a spark to the Lady Catamounts scoring 12 points in the second half after sitting out the last 15 minutes of the first half with two quick fouls. Powell led the club with 14 points.

Western Carolina just couldn’t recover after Tennessee went on its big run in the first half. The Lady Vols were also scorching 23-of-27 from the free throw line and also shot nearly 50 percent from the field with 47.5 percent.

After allowing Tennessee to score 49 points in the first half, Western Carolina did hold Tennessee to 34 points in the second half and put up 30 points. Tennessee out-rebounded the Lady Catamounts 41 to 34 and the Lady Vols also forced 25 Lady Catamount turnovers.

The Lady Catamounts did cut the Lady Vol lead below 20 three times in the game but every time Tennessee had an answer.

Johnson was second on the team in scoring with 12 points and also had a season-high four blocks. The senior forward was perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line and also had five rebounds and a steal.

Clarke has now scored in double figures in her last three games collecting 11 points against Tennessee. She also had three assists and four rebounds.

Western Carolina returns to action Saturday at Montana State. Tip time is set for 9 p.m.

NOTE: Check out the espn.com article on Heather Swayne and Jessica Jackson HERE discussing their recent interview with Tennessee Head Coach Pat Summitt for the Catamount Student-Athlete Roundtable Podcast. The story written by espn.com’s Graham Hayes, is only the second feature story in Western Carolina athletics’ history to be featured on espn.com.