Feb. 7, 2009

Box Score |   

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina women's basketball halted a three-game losing slide with a 75-50 win over arch-rival Appalachian State Saturday in the Ramsey Center. The Lady Catamounts improve to 12-11 and 8-6 in the Southern Conference while the Mountaineers fall to 6-16 and 5-8 in the SoCon.

Western Carolina had 11 of its 12 players make the scoring column in the contest. Brooke Johnson led the team with 12 points and also had four rebound an assist and a steal. Johnson picked up her first block in two games, giving her 108 in her career, and needs 20 to break the school record for blocks in a career.

Fellow senior Kendra Eaton had 10 points and six rebounds. Junior Kristen Feemster had a solid performance with eight points and six rebounds.

The Lady Catamounts used an explosive first half to build a 23-point advantage at halftime, leading 46-23, after the opening 20 minutes of the game. Western Carolina went on a 21-4 run in a seven minutes span to build a 25 point advantage, its largest of the half. WCU shot a fiery 57.6 percent from the field, in the first half, and had 19 rebounds, 11 defensively.

Western Carolina built its largest lead of the game, 33 points, with a 20-10 run in the first 13 minutes of the second half. The scoring frenzy was highlighted by three consecutive three-pointers by Western Carolina, two by Lauren Powell off assists by Jessica Jackson, and one by Jackson herself.

Appalachian State benefited defensively from eight blocks in the game, five of them by the Mountaineers Brittany Mixon. ASU had 30 rebounds in the game, but Western Carolina won the rebounding battle with 35.

The Mountaineers had 27 turnovers in the game and Western Carolina scored 30 of its points off Appalachian State miscues thanks in part to a season-high 13 steals. Lady Catamount freshman Diamond Hunnicutt contributed with a career-high four steals.

The Lady Catamounts also got 37 points from its bench and 17 second chance points. Western Carolina hit seven three-pointers in the contest and Appalachian State connected on just one.

Appalachian State's Brittany Spencer led all scorers with 13 points while Mixon followed with 12 points.

Western Carolina completes its three-game home stand Monday, February 9, hosting Furman. Tip time is set for 7 p.m. in the Ramsey Center.