Chattanooga 62, Alabama 34
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Senior forward Alex Anderson (Stone Mountain, Ga.) posted a game-high 14 points to go along with five rebounds and a game-high tying three steals as Chattanooga (6-3) defeated Alabama (3-7) 62-34 Saturday afternoon in a non-conference women’s basketball game at The McKenzie Arena. The win is the first over Alabama since a 70-68 victory in the first round of the WNIT on March 16, 2000.
The Lady Mocs established control of the game early on, taking a 28-9 lead with 4:29 to play behind a dominating 23-5 run that spanned 12:15. During that stretch, Anderson scored eight of nine points for UTC and Chattanooga held the Crimson Tide without a field goal for more than eight minutes. After a brief rally by Alabama, The Lady Mocs closed out the half with an impressive 32-14 lead over their South Eastern Conference foe.
UTC continued their strong play at the start of the second half, rolling out to a 44-19 advantage with 12:53 to play before extending to their largest lead of the afternoon at 56-27 with 5:14 remaining. Alabama would get no closer than that 29-point deficit as Chattanooga went on to close out the 62-33 victory.
Junior guard Camilla Blands led the way offensively for the Crimson Tide with 12 points and added five rebounds while sophomore center Talisha Chandler and freshman forward Tierney Jenkins each finished with eight points and a game-high tying seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Dedrea Magee also added seven rebounds for UA.
Sophomore guard Jenaya Wade-Fray (Madison, Ala.) joined Anderson in double figures with 11 points on four-of-six shooting, including a game-high three-of-four from beyond the arc and sophomore forward Shanara Hollinquest (Sylacauga, Ala.) added eight points and a game-high tying seven rebounds and three steals. Sophomore guard Tagan Hatchett (Acworth, Ga.) added eight points on the afternoon while junior forward Erin Ogan (Knoxville, Tenn.) finished with six points and five rebounds.
As a team, Chattanooga set several season marks, limiting Alabama to 24 percent shooting for the contest and forced a season-high 27 turnovers, scoring 25 points off of Tide errors.
The 29-point margin of victory is not only the largest for the Lady Mocs in the series against Alabama but is the second largest victory against any SEC team in the history of Chattanooga women’s basketball. The only larger margin of victory against an SEC program occurred on January 19, 1977 when UTC defeated Vanderbilt 88-23.
The Lady Mocs return to action on Monday, December 17 when Furman visits The McKenzie Arena for a 7 p.m. Southern Conference contest.
NOTES
Today’s game was the Chattanooga debut for No. 24 LaCondra Mason, No. 30 Bailey Dewart and No. 3 Anelia Murray ... for Mason, it was her first game that she was eligible for following her mid-year transfer from Middle Tennessee State ... Mason is very familiar with current Alabama coach Stephany Smith, who recruited Mason when she was the head coach at Middle Tennessee.
Western Carolina 82, Oregon State 70
HONOLULU, Hi. ? Four players scored in double figures and Western Carolina women’s basketball (7-2) rolled to an 82-70 victory over Oregon State (5-5) Saturday in the second day of the Paradise Classic hosted by the University of Hawaii at the Stan Sheriff Center. The Lady Catamounts will take Sunday off and return to action Monday facing Tennessee Tech at 4 p.m.
Western Carolina took the early lead and never looked back on the Beavers. The Lady Catamounts expanded their lead to 26 points in the second half, but Oregon State went on a 14-0 run, after the eight minute media timeout, making an apparent blow out a game. Western Carolina led by 26 with a little under eight minutes when they suffered a three minute scoring drought, in which in that time, the Beavers went on their run.
Junior Kendra Eaton stopped the bleeding when she connected on a pair of free throws at the 4:58 minute mark to make the score 74-61. Oregon State kept battling and cut the lead to nine, with 1:19 remaining, but junior Brooke Johnson hit a jumper and was fouled, completing a three-point play with a free throw, to push the game back to double digits.
Western Carolina was dominant on the boards, pulling down 40 rebounds and holding Oregon State to 22 ? only eight offensive boards. The Lady Catamounts also shot 47.8 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three-point line. The club was also near perfect from the charity strip hitting 13-of-14 for 92.9 percent.
Eaton led WCU tying her season-high with 15 points. She just missed a double-double as she also had nine rebounds. Lauren Powell, Brooke Johnson and Monique Dawson each had 13 points in the contest. Dawson also dished out five assists.
NOTES AND SUCH: It was the third game this season Western Carolina has scored 80 or more points ... Oregon State’s 25 points, in the first half, was the lowest scoring output of the season for a Lady Catamount opponent ... Monique Dawson tied her season-high with five assists ... Ten of the 11 WCU players scored in the game ... Western Carolina is now 2-1 in regular season tournaments this season ... In the first nine games of the season, WCU has tallied wins over an ACC opponent (Clemson), a WAC opponent (Hawaii), a Big 10 opponent (Louisville) and a Pac 10 opponent (Oregon State) ... Western Carolina is the only undefeated team in the tournament.
HEAD COACH KELLIE HARPER QUOTES:
“I thought we came out with energy, executed well and defended well. I thought for about 30 minutes we played very well today.”
THE 14-0 OREGON STATE RUN:
“I think it was a combination of physical and mental. Sometimes when you get a big lead you tend to sit back and enjoy the scenery. Oregon State kept fighting.”
THE PLAY OF KENDRA EATON:
“I thought this was a huge game for Kendra for her confidence. She played so physical today and did a great job finishing around the basket and was all over the boards. Oregon State didn’t have an answer for her.”
Elon 54, Furman 48
GREENVILLE, S.C. ? The Lady Paladins opened Southern Conference play with a loss and Elon extended its winning streak to four games with a 54-48 win Saturday in Timmons Arena.
Furman shot 46.2% in the first half, but trailed Elon by 9 with less than a minute to play. A 3-pointer by senior Chrissy Phelps narrowed the Phoenix’ lead to 6 going into the break.
The Lady Paladins tied the score early in the second half, at 34 and again at 36, but were unable to answer the Phoenix as Elon went on a 14-4 run in the first ten minutes of the second half. After a nine-minute period with no scoring for the Lady Paladins, junior Katie Johnson broke the spell with a 2-point shot. Four good jumpers were not enough for the Lady Paladins, however, as they fell with a final score of 54-48.
Senior Tierra Bumbrey and sophomore Tiffany Davis led the Phoenix with 12 points apiece, while junior Kitara McMoore and senior Nicole Allison each added 11. Bumbrey’s 12 points came entirely from beyond the arc, helping Elon to a 69.2 three-point percentage.
Johnson led the Lady Paladins with 20 points and 10 total rebounds ? her second double-double of the season. Senior Chrissy Phelps added 5 assists and 3 steals. The Lady Paladins shot 4-4 from the free throw line and out-rebounded the Phoenix 39 to 31.
With the loss, the Lady Paladins fall to 3-5 overall and 0-1 in the Southern Conference. Elon improves to 5-5 and 2-0 in league play. The Lady Paladins will hit the road on Monday with a trip to conference rival Chattanooga.
Wofford 58, UNC Greensboro 44
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The Wofford women's basketball team overcame a poor shooting start to rally for a 58-44 victory against UNC Greensboro in Southern Conference action Saturday night inside the Benjamin Johnson Arena in Spartanburg, S.C. The defense helped lead the Terriers to the win, forcing 29 turnovers and limiting the Spartans to 21.8 percent from the field.
UNC Greensboro (1-8, 0-1 SoCon) jumped on top early as Wofford struggled from the field itself, building a 13-3 advantage at the 11:41 mark of the first half. The Terriers missed 10 field goals in 11 attempts with the only make by junior Liz Miller at 14:47. Her jumper brought Wofford within one, 4-3, before Kemena Brooks scored five straight for the Spartans, including a 3-pointer at 14:24, to start a 9-0 run.
Junior Kate Dempsey the converted the second Terrier field goal at 11:23, triggering a combined eight-straight points between her and fellow post Kathlyn Varno. Sophomore Natalie Gramblin banked in a triple from the top of the key to pull Wofford (4-4, 1-1 SoCon) within two, 16-14, at 7:13 but Meghan Chamberlain put back her own miss to answer. Varno then added her third bucket in as many attempts and junior Laura Depko stole a backcourt pass and raced to the other end to give the Terriers a tie at 18-18 with 5:37 to play forcing a 30-second timeout.
Freshman Mahagony Williams then gave Wofford its first lead, 20-18, at 3:53 and junior Summer Nichols added to the lead with her shot at 2:32, capping a 19-5 Terrier surge. After Kendra Smith brought UNC Greensboro back within one, 23-22, with 1:41 to play in the half, Miller connected on a pair of charity tosses to give Wofford a three-point, 25-22, lead at the break.
Back-to-back jumpers by sophomore Kelly Dwyer early in the second half increased the Terrier edge to seven, 29-22, and then following a UNCG turnover, the visitors called another 30-second timeout. The Spartans inched back into the contest, bringing the margin down to two, 29-27, on an Ashley Ling 3-pointer at 16:58. Miller then answered with her own trey on Wofford's next possession.
The Spartans allowed the lead to swell to six, but Brittany Frazier hit 1-of-2 free throws and Ashley Mullins hit a jumper to bring them back within three, 35-32, at 13:26. Williams then began a 14-7 Terrier run, which was highlighted by triples from Gramblin and Depko.
Frazier converted another set of free throws to trim the deficit to eight, 49-41, with 5:31 showing on the clock before Wofford rattled off another eight straight on a 3-pointer by Miller, jumper by Nichols and trey from Dwyer giving the Terriers their largest lead at 16, 57-41, at the 3:14 mark.
Miller finished with a game-high 12 points, giving her 505 for her career, in addition to six steals on the defensive end. She becomes the 35th player in program history to reach the 500-point plateau. Williams nearly had her first career double-double, adding nine points and a game-best eight rebounds.
Frazier paced the Spartans, who lost for only the second time ever to the Terriers, with 10 points. Brooks and Ling hauled in a team-high six boards.
Wofford will return to action at the UNF Holiday Classic Tuesday and Wednesday in Jacksonville, Fla. The Terriers begin tournament play at 5 p.m. Tuesday against Savannah State before facing host North Florida at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Davidson 72, High Point 61
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Senior Danielle Hemerka recorded 11 points and seven rebounds and four other Wildcats reached double figures to lead Davidson to a 72-61 non-conference women?s basketball victory over High Point Saturday night at John M. Belk Arena.
The five scorers in double figures marked the first time Davidson accomplished the feat this season and it was the second straight time the Wildcats did it against High Point. Last year, Davidson placed all five starters in double digits in an 81-63 road win.
Hemerka and sophomore Mercedes Robinson combined to shoot 6-for-10 from the floor, and Hemerka hit three from 3-point range. Robinson finished with 10 points and added six rebounds as five different Wildcats registered five or more boards in the game.
Davidson as a team picked up 43 total rebounds, 17 of them on offense.
Sophomore Alex Thompson tallied 13 points for Davidson (6-3), and sophomore Julia Paquette registered 10 points and eight rebounds. Junior Kelly Gassie had 11 points and six rebounds off the bench.
Jurica Hargraves and LaTeisha Dean led High Point (4-5) with 16 points each. Jennifer Long finished the game with 14 points.
The Wildcats blew the game open in the first half as their defense was too much for the Panthers. Davidson held High Point to 5-of-25 shooting from the floor, including 0-for-4 from long distance, which helped the OECats open what would become an insurmountable 34-13 halftime lead.
After building a 23-point advantage early in the second half, Davidson had to weather a frantic final three minutes of the game.
The Panthers trimmed the margin to 60-46 with 3:35 to go. After Paquette made a pair of free throws, High Point scored nine straight points to make the score 62-55, following a Dean 3-pointer from the wing with 1:45 to play.
Gassie stopped the run by making a pair of free throws, and after the teams traded turnovers, Long?s layup made the score 64-57 with 1:11 remaining. But it was too little, too late. High Point was forced to foul Davidson, and the Wildcats went 8-for-8 from the free-throw line the rest of the way to seal the win.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 15-4 lead midway through the first half, thanks in part to a 3-of-6 start from 3-point range. Sophomore Monica Laune capped the run with a fast-break layup off a Honna Housley feed with 11:19 left in the period.
The margin grew to 28-9, following a layup by Kelsey Cary off a Thompson assist with 3:47 left in the half. A Hemerka 3-pointer and a Robinson free throw left the halftime margin at 34-13.
The Wildcats play their next four games on the road, beginning with a 7 p.m. contest at Virginia Thursday, Dec. 20.
Game Notes: The Wildcats ran their home win streak to six games, dating back to last seasonS they are 4-0 this year at home... Davidson has won eight of their last nine games in the month of December, dating back to last year S The Wildcats finished 19-of-22 from the charity stripe S Davidson matched its season-high with nine three-balls from behind the arc.