The Basics

Score: UNC Asheville 64, Western Carolina 47

Records: Western Carolina 1-5; UNCA 2-0

Location: Ramsey Center, Cullowhee, N.C.

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina women's basketball overcame a sluggish first quarter but it wasn't enough as the Catamounts fell to visiting UNC Asheville 64-47 Monday in the Ramsey Center during WCU's annual Education Day game. 

A total of 1,810 area school children were in attendance allowing them to experience an NCAA Division I basketball game and to see the Western Carolina University campus. 

Turning Point:

UNC Asheville built a 16-5 lead in the first quarter, holding Western Carolina to 16 percent shooting from the field. From the 4:44 minute mark of the first media timeout of the game to the 2nd quarter media time out at 4:51, the Bulldogs outscored Western Carolina 20-3 after the Catamounts trailed by 8-5 during the first media timeout. 

Individual Leaders

• Sophomore Jewel Smalls paced the Catamounts with 10 points and nine rebounds.
• Rookie Alyssa Walker led all scorers with 14 points hitting a pair of three-pointers.
• Junior Lauren LaPlant just missed scoring in double figures with nine points hitting three three-pointers in the game. 
• UNCA's Brooke Jordan Brown led the Bulldogs with a double-double 10 points and 10 rebounds. Amaryah Corpening had 11 points and Zip Scott added 11. 

Inside the Box Score

• Western Carolina could only muster 15 first-half points scoring five points in the first quarter and 10 in the second. 
• The Catamounts ended the game with a strong fourth quarter outscoring UNCA 22-8. 
• UNCA shot 44.6 percent from the field connecting on 25 field goals and hitting four three-pointers. 
• WCU hit eight three-pointers with LaPlant and Walker hitting three of the eight each.
• The Bulldogs pulled down 44 rebounds while the Catamounts collected 31. UNCA had 31 defensive rebounds. 
• UNCA led for nearly the whole game maintaining the lead for 36:50 minutes. 
• The Bulldogs had two more turnovers then Western Carolina with 19 to the Catamounts' 17. 

News & Notes

• Smalls scored in double figures in the third straight game and the fifth time in the first six games of the season. 
• Walker scored a career-high 14 points marking the second time in her young Catamount career she has scored in double figures. She also tied her seasonal and career-best with two three-pointers. 
• Western Carolina has hit seven or more three-pointers in five of the first six games of the season. 
• The Catamounts are on a five-game losing streak after winning their opening game against UVA-Wise 64-55.
• Freshman guard Andrea Martin Ruiz dished out a career-best five assists in the contest. 

Up Next

Western Carolina hits the road to face former Southern Conference member Davidson at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20.  

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