Dec. 8, 2010

Box Score

Middleton Post-Game Comments - Charlotte (AUDIO)

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina women's basketball (1-6) fell to Charlotte (7-2) 66-51 Wednesday in the Ramsey Center, in the final game of a three-game home stand.

Senior guard Emily Clarke led Western Carolina with 12 points, with all of her points coming from behind the three-point line. She hit four of the team's season-high tying seven three pointers against the 49ers.

The Catamounts jumped out to an early lead with senior guard Kendra Carroll scoring the first bucket of the game. Western Carolina led by one, 7-6, with 14:26 in the first, before conceding the lead for good to Charlotte when Paige McCaullum hit a jumper.

After giving up the lead, Western Carolina kept the game close for most of the rest of the first half, trailing by one two more times. Kaila'Shea Menendez hit a jumper to make the score 10-9 49ers. The contest was cut by one again when Clarke hit the first of her four three pointers to push the score to 13-12 with 10:10 remaining.

Charlotte built its lead to double digits in a five minute span going on an 11-2 run to push their advantage to 26-14 with 4:34 left. Western Carolina trimmed it back down to single digits on a five point swing with a three pointer by Clarke and a jumper by Carroll. A pair of free throws and a jumper by Charlotte gave it a 34-19 lead at the half.

Charlotte lead never dipped below double digits in the second half. The 49ers had as much as a 15 point lead before three times Western Carolina trimmed it to 11 points. The Catamounts, however, could never whittle the Charlotte lead back down to single digits.

Western Carolina did have a strong showing from its youthful players. On defense, freshman Shauna Terry showed off her reach with a career-high two blocked shots. Freshman Kristen Lyon got into an offensive groove with a career-high seven points and also connecting on the first three pointer of her Catamount career. Overall, Charlotte was tough in the post, scoring 44 of its 66 points in the paint.

The 49ers also won the rebounding battle 45-31 with 26 of their boards coming on the defensive end.

After scoring just 19 points in the first half, Western Carolina matched Charlotte in the second half with each team scoring 32 points. The Catamounts also shot 40.7 percent in the second half after hitting 26.9 percent in the first half.

Western Carolina begins a three-game road swing Saturday playing at Georgia State in Atlanta, Georgia. Tip time is set for 5:30 p.m.