Feb. 19, 2011

Box Score

Middleton Post-Game Comments (AUDIO)

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Western Carolina women's basketball (7-20, 5-13 Southern Conference) outscored College of Charleston (10-18, 7-12 SoCon) 30-22 in the second half, but dropped a tight game 49-45 Saturday in the Carolina First Arena.

College of Charleston only hit one field goal, connected on one of two free throws, and WCU held it to three points in the first 14 minutes of the second half. Western Carolina, down by 12 at the half, 27-15, went on a 16-3 run in that span to erase the Cougar lead.

Trailing by three, 30-27, with 10 minutes left in the game, junior Kaila'Shea Menendez tied the game with the Catamounts first three pointer of the contest. Her 1-of-2 free throws pushed WCU to a 31-30 lead.

Both teams went back and forth, after that gaining and losing the lead. Western Carolina built its largest lead of the contest on Menendez's second three-pointer in the game, with 3:42 left, for a 35-34 advantage.

It was then College of Charleston, who began a scoring frenzy of its own, as if it was saving up its scoring for just the right moment, like a runner's final kick in a race. The Cougar's Janae Smith scored her sixth straight point in the second half to cut the Catamount lead back to two points. After Jillian Brown hit 1-of-2 free throws, College of Charleston was down by one, 39-38.

Catamount freshman Alex Abraham hit a jumper, with 2:37 left, to push Western Carolina's lead back to three, 41-38. After Abraham's jumper, College of Charleston went on an 8-0 run to turn a four-point deficit to a six point lead. The Cougar's Cathryn Hardy's three-pointer was the catalyst for the scoring for Charleston.

Western Carolina's Rena Wakama's three-pointer, with 14 seconds left, cut the Charleston's five point lead, 48-43, to three and made the game interesting. However, Smith hit one of two free throws to keep the game out of reach from the Catamounts.

The Catamounts scored just 15 points in the first half, with junior forward Caitlin Hollifield accounting for 10 of Western Carolina's points in the first 20 minutes. Hollifield was one of three Catamounts to score in the first half, with Kristen Lyon adding four points and Abraham one.

Hollifield had a career-high four blocks in the game and Abraham also had a career-high with two blocks. Abraham added career-highs in points and rebounds with seven each.

Western Carolina had 44 rebounds, 24 on the offensive end, to College of Charleston's 36. The Catamounts also had a seasonal best eight blocks.

The Catamounts close out its road swing at Wofford on Monday. Tip time is set for 6 p.m.