Dec. 30, 2009

Box Score

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Western Carolina women's basketball fell to No. 11 Florida State 80-47 Wednesday at the Tucker Center. The Catamounts drop to 2-10 on the season while the Seminoles improve to 12-2.

The Catamounts hit just five field goals in the first 10 plus minutes of the second half, with four of the five coming from junior Emily Clarke. Senior Kristen Feemster hit an open lay-up for the fifth field goal.

Clarke and Kendra Carroll each scored in double figures in the game. Clarke finished the game with 19 points while Carroll added 10. Each have now led the team in scoring five times this season.

Western Carolina had two early, and short-lived, leads in the first half against Florida State. Clarke's jumper with 17:56 on the clock gave the Catamounts a 3-2 advantage and then Carroll's bucket with 17:14 left afforded WCU with a 5-4 advantage.

Tied at seven, Florida State's Courtney Ward nailed a three-pointer to give the Seminoles the lead for good. Western Carolina went six minutes, 7:26 to 1:35, without a field goal - hitting 4-of-6 free throws in that span. The Catamount scoring drought was halted with a three-pointer by Jessica Jackson (1:35), the only trey hit by WCU in the first half.

The Catamounts shot just 31.4 percent from the field and connected on 16 field goals. In contrast, FSU shot 48.2 percent from the field and hit 27 field goals. The Seminoles also connected on nine three-pointers, while the Catamounts just three treys - two were made by Clarke.

Western Carolina returns home from its grueling four-game road swing to begin a three-game home stand. The Catamounts host Southern Conference foe Furman Saturday. Tip time is set for 2 p.m. in the Ramsey Center.