Feb. 14, 2011

Box Score |    Middleton Post-Game Comments (AUDIO)

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina women's basketball (7-19, 5-12 Southern Conference) picked up a 51-45 home win against Georgia Southern (11-14, 8-8 SoCon) Monday in the Ramsey Center.

Freshman point guard Rena Wakama led all scorers with 15 points and had three steals in the contest. Junior guard Kaila'Shea Menendez got back into double figure scoring with 10 points.

The win over Georgia Southern is the first seasonal tie with a Southern Conference opponent. Georgia Southern won the meeting in Statesboro 69-64 in overtime on January 14. Exactly one month ago.

The Catamounts hit 7-of-12 free throws in the final 1:24 of the game to stave off the Eagles and secure the win. Western Carolina led by six with 1:28 remaining when Georgia Southern's Samantha Williams hit 1-of-2 free throws to trim the Catamount lead to 45-40. The Eagles fouled Diamond Hunnicutt and Wakama in both Catamount possessions with the duo each hitting 1-of-2.

With Western Carolina leading by seven, Georgia Southern made it interesting when senior guard Jamie Navarro hit a layup with 46 second left to cut the Catamount lead to 47-42. Catamount junior Menendez iced the game when she went 4-for-4 from the free throw line, after being fouled, to push the WCU lead to eight with 28 seconds left.

Navarro still had fight in her as she drained a three pointer with 24 seconds left on the clock to slice the WCU lead back to five, 50-45. Wakama closed out the game, for the Catamounts, hitting 1-of-2 free throws to secure the game.

After three ties to start the game, Georgia Southern built a nine point lead, 19-10, with 8:04 remaining in the first half. Western Carolina spent the remaining eight minutes of the half stifling Georgia Southern defensively, earning a 26-24 half-time lead with a 16-3 run to close out the half.

The Eagles hit just one field goal in that eight minute span and was also 2-of-4 from the free throw line. Western Carolina, in contrast hit five field goals in the run, two of them tree pointers from Wakama and Menendez.

It was the second time in three games Western Carolina has led at the half, with the Catamounts coming out on top for the win. The Catamounts shot 39.2 percent from the field and Georgia Southern was 35.7. Western Carolina benefitted from 22 points off 21 Eagle turnovers and also had 11 steals in the contest.

Georgia Southern's Logan Youngblood and Samantha Williams each had 10 points in the game.

Western Carolina heads back on the road this weekend taking on College of Charleston Saturday at 1 p.m. and traveling to Wofford on Monday for a 6 p.m. tip.