Nov. 3, 2014

Box Score |   

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Western Carolina women's basketball defeated Southern Wesleyan 76-59, in an exhibition game, Monday in the Ramsey Center.

Senior guard Justin Taylor led all scorers with 20 points, dished out nine assist, and was 6-of-6 from the free throw line. Taylor was one of three Catamount players to score in double figures with junior Erika Joseph adding 19 and fellow junior Lindsay Simpson posting 16.

The Catamounts scored 24 unanswered points throughout the first eight plus minutes to start the game. Southern Wesleyan finally got on the scoreboard when Shelby Gilbert hit a three pointer at the 7:29 mark.

Throughout the first 13 minutes, Western Carolina saw Taylor score the first two buckets of the game and Simpson pour in eight of her 16 points in that span.

After Southern Wesleyan finally got on the scoreboard the Warriors scored seven straight points to make the score 24-7 with 6:30 left to play in the half. In the final five plus minutes the two teams were even as each team scored 18 points.

The Catamounts led Southern Wesleyan 42-25 at the half. Western Carolina shot 50 percent in the first half and was 5-of-10 from behind the three point arch. Thanks to its slow start, Southern Wesleyan shot 22.9 percent in the opening frame.

Second half action saw an evenly matched pair of teams as Western Carolina and Southern Wesleyan each had 34 points in the final 20 minutes. The two teams traded buckets to open the second half but Western Carolina scored three straight buckets, off field goals by Taylor, Simpson and Joseph, to push Western Carolina to a 21 point, 51-30, advantage. Joseph, who had six points in the first half, scored 13 points in the second half.

Southern Wesleyan trimmed Western Carolina's lead to 14, 59-45, when Bri Seda hit a jumper at 9:19 left. A jumper by Taylor and three-pointer by Simpson pushed the Catamount lead back to 19, 65-45 with 8:52 left.

In the final eight minutes Western Carolina scored timely buckets and managed Southern Wesleyan to secure the win. The Warriors shot 35.1 percent in the second half to the Catamounts' 48.5 percent. Overall, the Catamounts shot 49.2 percent from the field and were 6-of-17 from behind the three point line. Simpson hit four of the Catamounts' six three pointers.

Western Carolina narrowly won the rebounding advantage 45 to 42 and had three blocks. The Catamounts officially open the season Nov. 14 when the team hosts North Carolina Central at 7 p.m. in the Ramsey Center.