The Basics

Score: Tennessee Tech 62, Western Carolina 58

Records: Western Carolina 2-10; Tennessee Tech 5-4

Location: Ramsey Center, Cullowhee, N.C.

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina women's basketball had four players score in double figures and battled back from a 31-17 halftime deficit before dropping a heart-breaker to visiting Tennessee Tech 62-58 Tuesday in the Ramsey Center. 

Turning Point:

With the game tied at 49 with 5:29 left in the game, Tennessee Tech went on a 13-9 run to capture the win. The Catamounts had a chance to tie the game with 11.1 seconds left when Jewel Smalls got a steal and dished it off to Judith Martin Ruiz who attempted a three-point shot that just fell short. 

Individual Leaders

• Redshirt junior Tembre Moates led the Catamounts with a season-high 16 points and just missed tying her career-high of 17.
• Smalls and Andrea Martin Ruiz each had 12 points. 
• Redshirt junior Lauren LaPlant added 10 points.
• Tennessee Tech's Kesha Brady led all scorers with 21 points. 

Inside the Box Score

• Western Carolina scored a total of 17 points (10 in the first and seven in the second) in the first half to trail Tennessee Tech 31-17.
• The Catamounts exploded in the second half shooting 50 percent in the third quarter outscoring the Golden Eagles 22-13. During that third quarter, the Catamounts tied the game at 39 before TTU went on a 5-0 run to lead 44-39 after the quarter. 
• Western Carolina tied the game for a second time at 49 in the fourth quarter. 
• The Catamounts took its only lead of the second half, 51-50, and the first since WCU lead 3-0 to start the game, with a lay-up by Smalls with 4:09 left in the game. Tennessee Tech answered with a field goal of its own to retake the lead and never trailed again. 
• Western Carolina ended the game shooting 38.1 percent out-shooting Tennessee Tech who ended the contest with 33.8 percent from the field. 
• Each team hit five three-pointers. 
• Tennessee Tech ripped down 43 rebounds winning the rebound battle with WCU who pulled down 36. The Golden Eagles had 28 offensive rebounds. 
• Western Carolina got 34 points inside the paint. 
• The Catamounts had 14 turnovers in the game to Tennessee Tech's 13. WCU got 10 points from Golden Eagle miscues. 
• Western Carolina had six blocks in the game – a season-high. 

News & Notes

• The Catamounts last three games have been decided by seven points or less. 
• Andrea Martin Ruiz swiped a season-high five steals.
• Alyssa Walker had a career-high two blocks and a career-best eight rebounds. 
• With 12 points, Smalls pushes her consecutive double-figure scoring streak to nine-straight and 11 out of 12 games. 
• LaPlant has scored in double figures in the last four games and five of the last six contests. 
• LaPlant has hit at least one three-pointer in all 12 games of the season. 
• The Catamounts have hit at least five three-pointers in 11 of 12 games on the year. 
• WCU had four players score in double figures against Tennessee Tech. The last time that happened was the season opener against UVA-Wise. 
• Smalls' 140 rebounds on the season are just 16 away from tying her 2018-19 total in her freshman campaign. 

Up Next

Western Carolina hosts Winthrop at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Catamounts final home game before the holiday break. 

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