Feb. 5, 2011

Box Score

Middleton Post-Game Comments (AUDIO)

DAVIDSON, N.C. - Kaila'Shea Menendez tied her career-high, with 21 points, in Western Carolina women's basketball's (6-16, 4-0 Southern Conference) 65-56 loss to Davidson (11-11, 6-7, SoCon) Saturday in the John M. Belk Arena.

Menendez becomes the first Catamount player to score 20 or more points in a game since Emily Clarke scored 22 points on November 17, 2010 against UNC Asheville. She also tied her career-high with three made three pointers in the contest and was a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line.

Western Carolina connected on a season-high eight three pointers against the Wildcats of Davidson. Freshman point guard Rena Wakama accounted for half of the Catamounts' three pointers hitting a career-high four in the contest. Wakama was the only other WCU player to score in double figures with 14 points.

The Catamounts shot just 24 percent in the first half against Davidson and trailed by 11, 31-20, at the half.

Western Carolina trailed by as much as 14 points in the second half, but kept itself in the game thanks to a scorching 52.4 percent shooting percentage in the second half. The Catamounts also hit six of its eight three pointers, in the game, in the second half.

The Catamounts out-scored Davidson 36-34 in the second half. Western Carolina trimmed the Wildcat lead to nine, with 10:21 left in the game when Rena Wakama drained a three pointer off an assist by Caitlin Hollifield. Davidson kicked its lead back up to nine points with a three pointer by Ashley Lax.

Western Carolina cut the Davidson lead to singe digits one last time in the second half with 2:17 left when redshirt sophomore Janae' McKinney hit one of two free throws to make the score 57-48. The Wildcats were 8-of-8 from the free throw line in the final two minutes of the game to keep WCU at bay.

Davidson's Laura Murray led all scorers with 23 points.

The Catamounts continue their road swing with a noon contest against UNC Greensboro on Monday.