Feb. 23, 2009

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Western Carolina women's basketball knocked of Southern Conference leader Samford, 55-53, Monday in the Pete Hanna Center. The Lady Catamounts improve to 17-11 and 13-6 in the Southern Conference, while Samford falls to 21-5 and 16-3 in the SoCon.

The victory is the sixth straight for Western Carolina, which could easily earn the Lady Catamounts the manacle of "hottest team entering the Southern Conference Tournament." Should the club win on Saturday, against Wofford, they are all but assured a third seed in the Southern Conference Tournament.

It was another nail-biter for Western Carolina, and for the second straight game, it all came down to free throws. Clinging to a precarious one point lead, 54-53, with 2.8 seconds left, the Lady Catamounts Jessica Jackson was fouled and earned a trip to the charity stripe for two shots. The foul by Samford put Western Carolina in the double bonus and she got two shots.

Jackson missed the first free throw but connected on the second. Samford couldn't get a shot off in the final 2.8 seconds and Western Carolina won the game.

Western Carolina looked to be enjoying a semi-comfortable four point advantage, 54-50, with 15 seconds left. The Lady Catamounts continued their tenacious defense, but the Bulldogs' Emily London threw up what looked appeared to be a desperation three-point shot, left handed, that miraculously fell in to keep Samford alive; and set up the final dramatics of the game.

There was another higlighted stat in the game as well, as Western Carolina led from the opening tip to the final buzzer, for the second straight contest. The Lady Catamounts played tough defense and knocked down key buckets in the first 20 minutes of the game while Samford was lethargic offensively.

Samford had 19 points in the first half, hitting four of its eight three-pointers in the game, and only had one bucket in the paint. The Bulldogs also got five points from the free throw line on seven trips.

A telling defensive stat for Western Carolina was the nine rebounds the Lady Catamounts held Samford to in the first half and only one was offensive. Overall, for the game, Western Carolina had 38 boards, 25 in the first half, and ripped down 29 on the defensive glass.

Western Carolina was stifling in the first half and built as much as a 16-point the first 20 minutes. The Lady Catamounts had a 10 point advantage, 29-19, and that first half explosion helped WCU weather the Samford barrage in the second.

Though Western Carolina led the whole contest, Samford trimmed the lead to one three times in the second half. Every time Samford got close, however, Western Carolina had an answer.

Leading by one, with 3:34 left, Lauren Powell drained a pair of free throws to push the lead back to three, 51-48. Then again after Savannah Hill hit two free throws with 1:07 left, Brooke Johnson came down and fought through the Samford defense for a lay-up and push the lead back to three again, 53-50.

Western Carolina shot 42 percent from the field and held Samford to 34.6. It is also the second straight game Western Carolina has held its opponent below 60 points.

Powell led Western Carolina with 13 points and Emily Clarke had a steady eight points and eight rebounds. Samford's Emily London led all scorers with 24.

Johnson tacked on two more blocks to her career total and now has 118. She needs 10 blocks to break the school record of 127.

Western Carolina returns home to host Wofford Saturday, February 28, in its final regular season game of the year in a 4 p.m. tip-off. The Lady Catamounts will honor seniors Johnson, Powell and Kendra Eaton.