Cullowhee, N.C. – Ally Hollifield led five Catamounts in double figures with a game-high 17 points as the Western Carolina women's basketball team rolled in the second half for a 91-44 win over the Montreat Cavaliers on Tuesday afternoon in non-conference action on Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center.
The win puts the Catamounts at 3-11 on the season, while the contest goes down as an exhibition game for the NAIA-member Cavaliers, who remain at 5-8.
Hollifield led all scorers with 17 points, while Betsey Burnett (15), Ary Dizon (12), Taj Hunter (12), and Justice Zimmerman (10) all scored in double-figures as well. Hollifield and Dizon came close to a double-double, recording eight rebounds apiece, while Hollifield led the team in assists, dishing out five and swiping three steals in a busy stat line.
Sarah Williams and Bayleigh Winkler led the scoring charge for the Cavaliers, recording 13 and 11 points, respectively. Team leading scorer Rymiah Sanders was held below double figures with nine points, snapping a 12-game double-digit scoring streak. Winkler recorded nine rebounds, while Ania Sands posted four assists without recording a point.
How it Happened:
Montreat got off to a fast start, courtesy of a 3-pointer from Laila Harvey as the Cavaliers raced out to an 11-5 lead at the first media timeout. Ally Hollifield drained a long ball to pull WCU within a bucket before Justice Zimmerman connected on a free throw to tie it at 11-all. Zimmerman then gave the Catamounts the lead for what proved to be for good with a layup, with Betsey Burnett adding a quick three to give the Catamounts a 16-11 advantage. Kehinde Obasuyi swished a 3-pointer late in the opening frame as WCU took a 19-14 lead into the second quarter thanks to the 14-to-3 run.
A brief scoring run by the Cavaliers pulled Montreat within three in the second quarter, before Hollifield added three to WCU's pile to keep the visitors at arm's length. The Catamounts closed the half outpacing the Cavaliers 16-9, taking a 42-29 lead into the locker room.
Bayleigh Winkler opened the second half with a bucket for the Cavaliers, but the third quarter was played at WCU's leisure. The Catamounts managed to outscore their opponent 19-4 in the frame, leveraging a 19-2 run following the quarter-opening score to take command of the game. The home squad built a 61-33 advantage to carry into the final quarter.
A quick 8-0 run for the Catamounts to open the final 10 minutes pushed WCU's lead to 69-35 before Montreat shook off the rust with a layup from Tresalyn Roberts. The Catamounts slowly built their lead to close out the game, posting runs of 6-0 and 5-0 down the stretch as WCU claimed the 91-44 win over the Cavaliers.
By the Numbers:
The Catamounts dominated in the paint against the Cavaliers, netting 48 points to Montreat's 22 down low. The figure was tied at 16 points in the three-seconds area through the first half, with WCU leveraging the size of Grace Pack, Justice Zimmerman, and Ary Dizon in the second to pull away.
WCU also capitalized on Montreat's 28 turnovers with 41 points, while surrendering only seven points off their 16 giveaways. The 16 turnovers by the Catamounts were the fourth fewest this season, and their fewest since recording 12 against Temple (11/30/25).
Up Next for The Catamounts:
WCU opens the New Year by hosting the South Carolina Central Christian College Gladiators on Saturday, Jan. 3, for a 2 p.m. tip.
The Catamounts then turn their attention to the conference schedule as they host the Mercer Bears and the Samford Bulldogs to open Southern Conference play. Tip against Mercer is set for Thursday, Jan. 8 at 6 p.m., with the game against Samford scheduled for a 2 p.m. start on Saturday, Jan. 10.
