Box Score

The Basics
Score: Wofford 68 - Western Carolina 59
Records: Western Carolina 5-11, 0-1 SoCon; Wofford 10-5, 1-0 SoCon
Location: Benjamin Johnson Arena - Spartanburg, S.C.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Western Carolina women's basketball dropped its hard-fought Southern Conference opener 68-59 at Wofford Thursday in Benjamin Johnson Arena.

With Wofford holding onto a tenuous 50-43 lead, after Western Carolina outscored the Terriers 21-13 in the third period, the Terriers barely outscored WCU 18-15 in the fourth period to keep a hold on the game.

The Catamounts, at one point, sliced the Terrier lead to 48-43 with 14 seconds remaining in the third period but a 9-0 run to close out the third and open the fourth sealed the game for Wofford.

Three WCU players scored in double figures paced by junior guard JonTay Mitchem's career-tying 14 points. Sherae Bonner added 12 and Emily Hatfield had 11. Wofford's Maria Corella led all scorers with 18.

Turning Point
Although Western Carolina outscored Wofford 27-20 in the second half, it was the 37-22 first-half scoring advantage the Terriers enjoyed to help control the game and earn the win.

Individual Leaders
- Mitchem scored 13 of her 14 points in the second half.
- Hatfield's 11 points is the third time this season she has scored in double figures.
- Kyia Hough had six steals in the game.
- Bonner just missed a double-double with 12 points and seven rebounds.
- Tembre Moates was just shy of double figure scoring with nine points.
- Wofford's Maria Corella had a game-leading 18 points.

Inside the Box Score
- Wofford ripped down 43 rebounds in the game to Western Carolina's 30.
- The Terriers connected on three more treys then Western Carolina hitting five to the Catamounts two. - Western Carolina shot 39.3 percent from the field.
- The Catamounts had a slow start to the game scoring only eight points in the first period.
- The Catamounts had a season-high 15 steals.

News & Notes
- Bonner had her 20-game streak of at least one block in a game snapped at Wofford.
- Bonner has scored in double figures in the last four games.
- Hough's six steals against Wofford is a career-high.
- Western Carolina is now 8-27 in games to open Southern Conference play.
- The Catamounts are 2-3 over the last five games.

Up Next
Western Carolina continues its two-game Southern Conference road swing traveling to Furman on Saturday for a 2 p.m. tip-off. The game can be seen on ESPN3 and heard on the Catamount Sports Network.

For the latest information on Catamount women's basketball, follow @catamounts on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.