Jan. 31, 2011

Final Stats |   

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina women's basketball (6-15, 4-8 Southern Conference) dropped a noon contest to rival Appalachian State (17-4, 11-2 SoCon) 62-36 Monday in the Ramsey Center. Over 500 local school children were in attendance for Education Day.

Both teams struggled from the field, with Western Carolina shooting 30 percent, and Appalachian State hitting 29.8 percent. The Mountaineers earned its lead and maintained it at the free throw line shooting 75 percent (24-of-32) and scoring 27 points off 28 Catamount turnovers.

Western Carolina scored the first four points to start the contest. The game was tied at six after the first media timeout, 15:31. Appalachian State took its first lead off a free throw by Chakeitha Weldon and never trailed in the game again.

The Catamounts cut the Appalachian State lead to three, 16-11, with 3:41 left in the half off a jumper by Rena Wakama. The Mountaineers pushed its lead to nine points, at the half, when Sam Ramirez nailed a three pointer at the buzzer.

Appalachian State built a 24-point lead by scoring the first 15 points of the second half. It took Western Carolina almost seven minutes, in the second half, to score a field goal when junior guard Kaila'Shea Menendez hit a jumper with 13:34 left in the game.

Overall, Western Carolina hit seven field goals in the first half and eight in the second for 15 in the game. The Catamounts scored 18 points in both halves.

Junior forward Caitlin Hollifield was the only Catamount to score in double figures with 12 points. She was one rebound from a double-double with nine boards. Freshman forward Shauna Terry tied her career-high with three blocks, and currently has 20 in her career.

Appalachian State's Ramirez led all scorers with 19 points. Anna Freeman followed with 14 points.

The Catamounts head back on the road this weekend playing at Davidson on Saturday and UNCG on Monday.