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Lauren LaPlant had 15 points in the game.
Zion Boggess, WCU Public Relations
59
Winner Chattanooga UTC 2-13,1-0 SoCon
52
Western Caro. WCU 3-13,0-1 SoCon
Winner
Chattanooga UTC
2-13,1-0 SoCon
59
Final
52
Western Caro. WCU
3-13,0-1 SoCon
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Chattanooga UTC 14 14 11 20 59
Western Caro. WCU 8 14 11 19 52

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Denise Gideon, Director of Media Relations

Catamounts Drop SoCon Opener to Chattanooga

Andrea Martin Ruiz and Lauren LaPlant combine for 30 of WCU's 52 points

The Basics
Score: Chattanooga 59, Western Carolina 52
Records: Western Carolina 3-13, 0-1 SoCon, Chattanooga 2-13, 1-0 SoCon
Location: Ramsey Center, Cullowhee, N.C.   
 
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Lauren LaPlant (15) and Andrea Martin Ruiz (15) combined for 30 points as Western Carolina women's basketball dropped its Southern Conference opener to Chattanooga 59-52 Thursday in the Ramsey Center.  
 
The Catamounts cut the Mocs lead down to three points, 55-52, with 22 seconds left to play but couldn't find that magical shot to tie the contest. 
 
Turning Point:
Western Carolina was held to eight points in the first quarter and played catchup the rest of the game. Chattanooga also benefitted from 22 trips to the free-throw line hitting 17 at the charity stripe. 
 
Individual Leaders
  • Rookie Andrea Martin Ruiz scored a career-high 15 points to tie for the most points for the Catamounts. 
  • LaPlant also had 15 points for WCU hitting three treys. 
  • Sophomore Jewel Smalls led the Catamount with eight rebounds. 
  • Chattanooga was paced by Lakelyn Bouldin's game-leading 22 points. Bria Dial added 12. 
 
 
Inside the Box Score
  • Chattanooga hit five three-pointers in the first two quarters to help build their first-half lead. The Catamounts held the Mocs to one made three-pointer in the final 20 minutes of play. 
  • Western Carolina also hit six three-pointers in the contest with four of the six coming in the second half. 
  • Both teams shot in the mid-thirties from the field with Chattanooga clocking in at 35.3 percent and WCU at 33.9. 
  • As stated before, Chattanooga went to the free-throw line 22 times logging 17 of its points from the free-throw line. The Mocs were 9-of-9 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter. 
  • Western Carolina went to the line 10 times hitting six. 
  • The Catamounts scored 26 points in the paint and got 19 points from the bench. 
  • WCU just edged Chattanooga in the rebounding war ripping down 38 to the Mocs' 37. 
  • Chattanooga led for 37:16 minutes in the game. 
 
  
News & Notes
  • For the second straight game, Smalls did not score in double figures. She ended the contest with five points – all in the second half. 
  • Along with her career-high 15 points, Andrea Martin Ruiz also tied her career-high with six made field goals, and also knotted her career-best in free throws with three. 
  • LaPlant has scored in double figures in eight of the last 10 games hitting four or more three-pointers in five of those 10 contests. In that 10-game stretch, LaPlant is averaging 13.2 points per game. 
  • Western Carolina has hit six or more three-pointers in the last four games. 
  • LaPlant has hit at least one three-pointer in all 16 games of the season. 
  • The Catamounts have scored 50 or more points in the last eight games. 
Up Next
Western Carolina hosts ETSU at 2 p.m. Saturday, in the Ramsey Center, at the front end of a doubleheader. Men's basketball hosts Mercer at 5 p.m. The Catamounts women's game will be broadcast on ESPN3 while the men's game will be on ESPN+.
 
For the latest information on Catamount women's basketball, follow @catamounts on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.

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