The Basics

Score: Samford 58, Western Carolina 43

Records:  Western Carolina 4-21, 0-10 SoCon, Samford 8-16, 3-6 SoCon

Location: Pete Hanna Center, Birmingham, Ala.             

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Western Carolina hung tough with Samford but couldn't get past the pesky Bulldogs falling 58-43 Thursday in the Pete Hanna Center. 

The Catamounts had a strong showing in the second half but was haunted by the second-period slump in which the Bulldogs outscored WCU 13-5. 

Turning Point

After Western Carolina took a 13-12 lead, early in the second period, Samford went on a 13-2 run in the final eight-plus minutes to build a nine-point, 24-15 lead, at the half. The Bulldogs exploited that scoring burst to secure the win.

Individual Leaders

• Freshman Jewel Smalls led WCU with 13 points connecting on four three-pointers.
• Senior Angel Allen followed with 10 points and also had four assists.
• Junior Farasia Hodge ripped down seven rebounds.
• Samford's Natalie Armstrong led the Bulldogs with 15 points.

Inside the Box Score

• Western Carolina did cut Samford's lead to seven, 48-41, with 3:17 left in the game but the Bulldogs went on a 10-2 run to close out the game. However, it was deceiving, with Samford being fouled intentionally as they hit 5-of-8 from the free throw line in the last two minutes of the game. 
• Western Carolina had 20 turnovers in the game including a stretch in the second period in which the Catamounts had eight-straight turnovers and no points. Samford turned Western Carolina's turnovers to 19 points.
• The Catamounts hit only two field goals in the second period, a three and a lay-up, both by Smalls.
• Western Carolina connected on eight three-pointers in the game shooting 40 percent.
• The Catamounts led twice in the game, once in the first, and once in the second.
• Western Carolina was 9-of-14 from the free throw line while Samford was 13-of-17.
• Samford shot 40 percent from the field while WCU shot 28 percent.
• The Bulldogs just edged the Catamounts in the rebounding department ripping down 35 to WCU's 32. Twenty-eight of Samford's rebounds were on the defensive end.

News & Notes

• After going two games without scoring in double figures, when she poured in 32 against ETSU on Feb. 2, Smalls got back in the double-figure scoring column with 13 points.
• Junior Judith Martin Ruiz had her six-game streak of scoring in double figures snapped against Samford scoring seven points – all in the second half. 
• The Catamounts are now 1-10 at Samford in the two school's all-time history.
• Western Carolina has 152 made three-pointers in the 2018-19 season moving the squad into third place in the WCU record books for three-pointers in a season. Second place is held by the Southern Conference Championship squad of 2008-09 who ended the season with 167.

Upcoming

Western Carolina plays its final Southern Conference road game of the season traveling to Mercer Saturday for a 2 p.m. tip-off.     

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