Dec. 5, 2009

Box Score

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina women's basketball fell to 1-1 in the Southern Conference with a 62-51 loss to Davidson (2-6, 2-0 SoCon), Saturday in the Ramsey Center, and falls to 2-6 overall.

The Catamounts only led once in the game, a 6-2 advantage with 14:54 left it he first half. The game was tied at seven with 12:28 left when the Wildcats went on a 5-0 run to build a 12-7 advantage.

Western Carolina cut the Davidson lead to one point, 12-11, off a jumper by Kendra Carroll, but it proved the last field goal WCU would hit in a seven minute stretch. Davidson built as much as an 11 point lead before a pair of free throws by senior Jessica Jackson trimmed the least to nine, 27-18. A lay-up by Kailia'Shea Menendez with 2:05 left in the half was the first made bucket for Western Carolina since the 9:43 mark.

Three times Davidson built a 13 point advantage in the second half, leading 51-38 with 10:43 left. Western Carolina went on a 10-1 run to cut the Wildcat lead to four with 5:58 left when Emily Clarke ripped down an offensive rebound and hit the put back, to make the score 52-48. Western Carolina had a chance to cut the lead two, when Clarke was fouled with 3:34 left, but she missed both free throws. The Catamounts did cut it back to four off a jumper by Carroll but Ashley Lax answered with a jumper of her own, to push the lead back to six.

The Catamounts hit just seven field goals in the first half and shot 28 percent. For the game, Western Carolina was 19-of-60 for 31.7 percent. Western Carolina did win the rebounding battle, grabbing 45 boards as compared to Davidson's 36. Western Carolina hit just 10-of-20 from the charity stripe.

Clarke recorded her first double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Janae' McKinney added a career-high nine points. Catamount sophomore Diamond Hunnicutt saw her first action of the season after missing the first seven games of the year.

Western Carolina will face Charlotte on Tuesday. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.