Box Score

The Basics
Score: Western Carolina 68, Wofford 62
Records: Western Carolina 5-20, 1-9 SoCon, Wofford 10-15, 3-7 SoCon
Location: Richardson Indoor Stadium, Spartanburg, S.C.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Western Carolina women's basketball was 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the final 19 seconds of the game to escape Wofford with a 68-62 win Thursday in the Richardson Indoor Stadium. The victory is Western Carolina's first Southern Conference, and road win, of the season.

Senior guard JonTay Mitchem made an ice-cold lay-up to help Western Carolina reclaim the lead, 62-61 with 1:02 left in the game. With Wofford fouling to reach the five foul mark, and force Western Carolina to shoot free throws with a chance to get the ball back, a Terrier was assessed with a un-sportsman like foul after the Terriers' fourth foul. Judith Martin Ruiz went to the line to shot two free throws nailing both to give WCU a three-point, 64-61, lead. Emily Hatfield would proceed to go 4-for-4 from the free throw line to ice the game in the final 18 seconds of the contest.

Western Carolina led for over 27 minutes of the game and the contest was tied six times with 13 lead changes.

Senior Julia Brown led Western Carolina with 15 points and Nikki Johnson followed with a career-high 14. Wofford's Da'Ja Green scored over half of Wofford's 62 points with a game-leading 34 points in the contest.

Turning Point
With Western Carolina leading by nine early in the fourth period, Wofford fought to tie the game at 51 with 5:51 left. Western Carolina would go on to outscore the Terriers 17-10, in the final five minutes, including 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the remaining 19 seconds to hold on for the win.

Individual Leaders
- Brown led the Catamounts with 15 points just two points shy of her career-high 17.
- Johnson scored a career-high 14 points.
- Lauren LaPlant just missed scoring in double figures with nine points, hitting three treys in the first half.
- Emily Hatfield went 6-for-6 from the free throw line ending the game with eight points.
- Judith Martin Ruiz dished out six assists, was 4-of-4 from the free throw line, ending the game with six points and five rebounds.
- Wofford's Green had 34 points, one point shy of her career-high 35.

Inside the Box Score
- Western Carolina's 68 points against Wofford is the most the Catamounts have scored in a SoCon game this season. It is just the second time this year WCU has scored 60 or more points in a conference game.
- The Catamounts shot 47.2 percent from the field. Both teams shot 40 plus percent as the Terriers ended the game shooting 40.7.
- Western Carolina dominated the boards ripping down 38 to Wofford's 27.
- After hitting just two three-pointers against ETSU on Feb. 3, Western Carolina got back to its long-range shooting ways hitting seven three-pointers against the Terriers.
- Western Carolina got 25 of its 68 points from its bench.
- Western Carolina was 11-of-13 from the free throw line.
- Western Carolina outscored Wofford in the first three periods. Wofford just edged Western Carolina 24-23 in the fourth.

News & Notes
- After going 0-12 on the road this season, Western Carolina got its first road win of the year with the victory over Wofford. - The Catamounts road win against Wofford is the first time since 2012 the Catamounts have defeated the Terriers in Spartanburg.
- Western Carolina's 11 made free throws against Wofford is the most in a conference game this season.
- Brown's 15 points is the seventh time this season she has scored in double figures.
- Along with her career-high 14 points, Johnson also connected on a career-best six field goals.
- Western Carolina is now 5-7 when leading at the half.
- LaPlant has hit at least one three-pointer in six of the last seven games.
- Western Carolina's win over Wofford halts a four-game losing streak.
- Western Carolina's 128 three-pointers this season ranks 12th in the WCU record books for made three-pointers in a season.

Up Next
Western Carolina completes its two-game road swing Saturday at Furman with tip-off set for 2 p.m. The game is the Paladins' Play4Kay game, encouraging fans to wear pink in honor of former legendary North Carolina State women's basketball coach Kay Yow and breast cancer awareness. The game can be heard on the Catamount Sports Network and seen on ESPN3 and WYCW TV 62.

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