Feb. 14, 2009

Box Score

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Western Carolina women's basketball escaped UNC Greensboro with a 66-58 victory over the Spartans in overtime Saturday at Fleming Gym. The Lady Catamounts improve to 14-11 and 10-6 in the Southern Conference while UNCG falls to 9-16 and 6-10 in the SoCon.

It is the second overtime game this season for Western Carolina, with the Lady Catamounts falling at College of Charleston 61-56 on January 31. WCU is now 12-14 all-time in overtime games.

The Lady Catamounts had a five point lead, 46-41, with 27 seconds left in the game, after a pair of Emily Clarke free throws, when the Spartans' Lakiah Hyson drained a three-pointer with 16 seconds left. Sophomore Kendra Carroll was fouled and hit both free throws to push the WCU lead back to four, 48-44. UNCG came through with a clutch three-pointer, this time by Gini Grimsley, to narrow the Western Carolina lead to one, 48-47.

With eight seconds left, senior Lauren Powell was fouled, but she hit just one of two free throws, giving Western Carolina a precarious two point advantage, 49-47. UNC Greensboro forced overtime when Hyson fought through the Western Carolina defenders to hit a jumper with four seconds left and tie the game at 49.

Western Carolina retook the lead in overtime off a lay-up by Kristen Feemster. The Catamounts never trailed in the overtime, thanks to a pair of three-pointer by Jessica Jackson and Lauren Powell, and 5-of-6 shooting from the free throw line.

UNC Greensboro did trim the lead to two points, but Feemster struck again hitting a lay-up, off an assist by Jackson, to push the lead back to four with 35 seconds left. Feemster came up with a key defensive play, to all but ice the game, when she stepped in front of a Hyson pass and stole the ball.

Jackson was quickly fouled, sinking both free throws, and pushing the Lady Catamount lead to six and secured the win. Senior Brooke Johnson sealed the game when she hit two free throws with seven seconds left.

Clarke hit the first bucket of the game but UNC Greensboro answered with a three-pointer by Monique Floyd and Western Carolina played from behind for most of the first half. The Lady Catamounts tied the game at 13 with 7:45 left in the first half and then at 21 off a three-pointer by Kendra Eaton, just the second made three-pointer by the senior forward in her career. The game was knotted at 21 headed into halftime.

Western Carolina shot 36.2 percent from the field but was solid at the free throw line, shooting 69 percent (20-of-29). UNC Greensboro couldn't covert from its 23 trips to the free throw line, hitting just 10 for 43.5 percent.

The Lady Catamounts won the rebounding battle 48 to 42 with 30 of them being on the defensive glass. WCU had 12 second chance point and also got 28 points from its bench, in contrast to UNCG who got just nine points from its bench.

Hyson lead all scorers with 19 points and Grimsely followed with 15 points for UNCG.

Powell led the club with 13 points, the only Lady Catamount to score in double figures. Johnson had three blocks in the contest and now has 113 in her career, needing 15 to break the school record (127) for blocks in a career.

Western Carolina returns home Monday to host Elon in its WBCA Pink Zone Game which is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip-off. Half the ticket sales go to the Kay Yow Foundation and fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game.