Feb. 23, 2008

Box Score |   

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - If anyone is looking for a good party planner look no further then Western Carolina women's basketball. The Lady Catamounts sent out their four seniors, Monique Dawson, Jessika Johnson, Chevon Keith and Ashley Pellom, as if it was a well planned party - blowing out Southern Conference foe Georgia Southern 87-58; a team that had defeated them earlier this season. Western Carolina improves to 22-6 and 14-2 in the Southern Conference while Georgia Southern falls to 16-10 and 12-3 in the SoCon.

The seniors helped in the celebration as each scored in double figures in the contest, with a total of six Lady Catamounts doubled up in scoring. Pellom, Keith and Dawson each had 10 points and Johnson led the seniors with 11. Lauren Powell led all scorers tying her season-high with 18 points. She was 3-for-5 from the three-point line and also pulled down five rebounds. Freshman Emily Clarke was the other underclassman to score in double figure with a career-tying 14 points.

Milestones were also a highlight of the game. Both junior guard Powell and Keith eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau - becoming the 20th and 21st Lady Catamounts to do so. Western Carolina now has three players on the squad who have scored over 1,000 points, as Dawson hit the mark earlier this season, a first in school history.

It was also a career-day for Johnson. The Riverdale, Ga. native notched the first double-double of her career pulling down 10 rebounds to go along with her 11 points.

Georgia Southern took an early 4-0 lead to start the game, and after Western Carolina tied it at four, the Lady Catamounts took the lead 6-4 off a jumper by Johnson. After that Western Carolina turned on the scoring machine.

The Lady Catamounts hovered around a five point lead for most of the first half. When Georgia Southern cut it down to three points, Western Carolina went on a 26-11 run in the final 10 minutes of the half to lead 41-23 heading into the locker room.

Western Carolina pushed its lead to 20 points, 43-23, to start the second half thanks to a lay-up by Keith. The Lady Catamounts would not drop below a 20-point lead for the remainder of the second half. WCU had as much as a 35-point lead.

It was the eighth straight win for Western Carolina and the eighth consecutive at home. The Lady Catamounts end the season with a record of 10-2 in the Ramsey Center.

The 29-point margin of victory was the most for Western Carolina in its 38 meetings with Georgia Southern.

The win over Georgia Southern gives Western Carolina sole possession of second place. With two games remaining, the Lady Catamounts still have an outside shot at the Southern Conference regular season title but will need a little help as Chattanooga continues to lead with a perfect 16-0 record in the Southern Conference.

The victory was also the seventh in the month of February which ties the school record for most victories in the month. It ties the mark set in 1982-83 when the Lady Catamounts went 8-2 in February.

Western Carolina hits the road for one of its two final Southern Conference road games of the season. The Lady Catamounts travel to Charleston, S.C. to take on College of Charleston at 7 p.m. February 25.

HEAD COACH Kellie Harper QUOTES:

"I hope this was a perfect day for our seniors. We shoot the ball well. It was something I felt we needed to do today if we wanted to win. We were sharp from pretty much the start of the game and we were doing the things well we needed to do. Fortunately we didn't get a lead and get bored. I am so proud of this team - they rose to the occasion. Our next game at College of Charleston is going to be a tough game - like Georgia Southern they play well at home. If we duplicate the play from today, in the next two games, I feel really good about our chances. It is one of those situations were you can't let up."