Feb. 28, 2008

Box Score

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Western Carolina fought back from a 14-point deficit and had Chattanooga on the ropes, down but just two with 35 seconds remaining, but the Lady Mocs escaped with a 72-66 victory Thursday in McKenzie Arena. The Lady Catamounts fall to 23-7 and tie their school record for Southern Conference wins ending the regular season record 15-3. Chattanooga improves to 26-3 and 18-0 in the SoCon. Western Carolina enters the Southern Conference Tournament as the No. 2 seed.

The Lady Catamounts trailed by double digits for the first 15 minutes of the second half. A pair of free throws by Ashley Peollom with 4:19 remaining cut the lead to nine points for the first single digit Chattanooga lead of the second half.

With 2:13 left, a driving lay-up by Chevon Keith trimmed the Lady Moc lead to seven, 66-59, and started a frantic rally by Western Carolina. After a turnover by Chattanooga's Alex Anderson, freshman Emily Clarke calmly drained a three-pointer with seven seconds left on the shot clock to make the score 66-62 with 1:15 left.

Anderson made up for her turnover with a lay-up to push the Lady Mocs' lead back to six, 68-62, with under a minute left. After a missed basket by freshman Kendra Carroll, Pellom stole the ball from Anderson and charged down the court for a bucket - the lead was back down to four, 68-64.

The game got very interesting when senior guard Laura Hall coughed up the ball under Western Carolina's basket thanks to the pressure of senior guard Monique Dawson. Jessika Johnson missed a shot under the basket but Carroll was there for the rebound and put the ball back for the score and the Chattanooga lead was now down to two, 68-66.

It appeared Western Carolina got the break it needed when Anderson's errant pass at half court went out of bounds and the Lady Catamounts got the ball back with 25 seconds left. Western Caroline returned the favor by turning the ball over under its own basket and all but secured the Lady Mocs a win. Chattanooga was put on the line four times in the final 17 seconds and connected on all four to secure the win.

Western Carolina led by as much as seven in the first half but after Chattanooga fought back to tie the game at 16, it took the lead with 6:56 left in the half and never trailed in the game again.

Clarke led the team tying her career-high with 14 points and was also a perfect 3-for-3 from the three-point line. Pellom added 13 points and Dawson poured in 10.

Western Carolina will next be in action at the Southern Conference Tournament in Charleston, S.C. As the No. 2 seed, the Lady Catamounts will play at 10 a.m. Friday March 7 against the winner of the No. 7 vs. No. 10 seed.