Feb. 11, 2008

Box Score

ELON, N.C. - It took a school-history four overtimes, five Western Carolina players scoring in double figures, and over two hours for the Lady Catamounts to squeak by Elon 102-101 Monday at Alumni Gym. Western Carolina improves to 19-6 on the season and 11-2 in the Southern Conference while Elon falls to 7-18 and 2-11 in the SoCon.

Western Carolina was up by three points with 12 seconds left in regulation after Chevon Keith hit one of two free throws to give the Lady Cats the three-point advantage, 66-63. Elon's Tierra Bumbrey banked in a three-pointer with two seconds remaining to send the game into the first of four overtimes.

It was Western Carolina who pushed the game to the second overtime. Down by one point, Kendra Eaton connected one of two free throws to tie the game at 76 with 11 seconds left. Bumbrey attempted a jumper with two seconds left for the win but it fell short and time ran out.

The second overtime began with Elon taking a two point lead off a Katie Whidden lay-up. The two teams traded baskets until the score was tied for the 12th time in the game. Bumbrey hit a jumper with 38 seconds remaining but Lady Catamounts' Jessika Johnson sank a jumper with nine seconds left for the 13th tie, at 82.

The third overtime began with a jumper by Heather Swayne at the 3:38 minute mark. Elon came back with a three-pointer by Nicole Allison to give the Phoenix a one-point lead. A lay-up by Kristen Feemster and a three-pointer by Lauren Powell gave Western Carolina a four-point lead and their first real advantage in the four overtimes. Bumbrey hit a three to cut the lead to one and after Eaton and Pellom hit a pair of free throws and Katie Whidden hit a lay-up, Western Carolina was up by three with 12 seconds remaining. For the second time in the game, Elon hit three-pointer to tie the game and forced overtime again.

In the fourth and final overtime, Western Carolina took an early two-point lead thanks to a jumper by Emily Clarke. Bumbrey answered with a three-pointer for an Elon one-point lead, 96-95. Not to be outdone, Powell hit her third-three-pointer of the game to help the Lady Catamounts regain the lead, 98-96. Bumbrey came right back a minute later and hit her eighth three-pointer of the night to give Elon the lead yet again, 98-99.

In the end, the game all came down to free throws. With 1:50 remaining, Pellom calmly drained a pair of free throws to give Western Carolina a 100-99 advantage. After a missed jumper by Whidden, with 15 seconds left, Feemster pulled down the rebound and Western Carolina pushed the ball down the court. Powell was fouled and went to the line with 10 seconds left, hitting both free throws to give the Lady Cats a three-point lead.

After four overtimes and last second shots, the Western Carolina fans and players held their breath as Elon made their way down the court with 10 seconds left on the shot clock. The Lady Catamount defense was stifling from the perimeter denying Elon a look from outside the three-point arch. Whidden did sneak under the basket as time expired for a two-point bucket but time had run out on the Phoenix. Western Carolina had won.

Eaton and Swayne each had career-high performances in the game. Eaton tallied her first career double-double with career-highs in points (18) and rebounds (13). Swayne scored a career-high 14 points, with all of her points occurring in the second half and overtime. Pellom lead the Lady Catamounts with 19 points, Powell added 16 and Monique Dawson had 15.

Western Carolina pulled down a season-high 62 rebounds in the game, 22 of them being on the offensive end and 40 defensive boards. The Lady Catamounts got 43 points from its bench and got 28 points off Elon turnovers.

The Lady Catamounts return to action Saturday to host Wofford at 4 p.m. in the Ramsey Center. It is "Think Pink" day with the Western Carolina athletic department encouraging fans to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness.

NOTES: The four overtimes is the longest in Western Carolina women's basketball history, besting the three overtimes against Coastal Carolina in 1991 ... It is the first time the Lady Cats have scored over 100 points since the 107-80 win over Davidson in 2001 ... Western Carolina is now 11-13 all-time in overtime games ... With 19 wins, Western Carolina is just one win away from the coveted 20-wins, should the team hit 20 wins, it will be the first time in school history the Lady Cats have had back-to-back 20 win seasons ... Western Carolina has series wins over Davidson, Appalachian State, UNC Greensboro and Elon ... The Lady Catamounts have won five straight games, the second longest winning streak this season.