CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Shanara Hollinquest led five Chattanooga players in double figures in scoring with a game-high 24 points to lead the Mocs to an 82-64 women's basketball victory in the quarterfinals of the Southern Conference Tournament at Bojangles Coliseum Friday afternoon.
Chattanooga advances to play the winner of the College of Charleston-Georgia Southern game in the semifinals at noon Sunday, March 7, in Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte.
Hollinquest shot 10-for-15 from the floor and added a game-high 10 rebounds for the Mocs (22-8), while Kayla Christopher scored 13 points, and Tenisha Townsend finished with 15. Jenaya Wade-Fray scored 10, and Michelle Davis added 14 points and seven rebounds.
Lakiah Hyson led the Spartans (10-20) with 16 points and six rebounds, and Agne Girstautaite had 13 points. Kendra Smith finished with 12 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Chattanooga went 12-of-23 from 3-point range and shot 54.4 percent in the contest. The Mocs committed just one turnover in the second half, and held UNCG to 41.4 percent from the floor for the game, including 4-for-16 from long distance.
After trailing by eight points at halftime, UNCG kept within striking distance until late in the game. Chattanooga used a 9-3 run to turn a 12-point margin into an 18-point lead on a Townsend layup with 5:14 to play.
After the Spartans trimmed the cushion to 12 points again, another 10-2 Mocs' spurt sealed the contest. Townsend and Davis ignited the run with consecutive 3-pointers.
Townsend and Christopher combined for three consecutive triples as Chattanooga jumped out to a 10-4 lead early in the game. The margin grew to 13 points when Christopher hit a jumper following a steal by Hollinquest.
The Spartans scored five straight points to whittle the margin to six, but Christopher hit a pair of free throws to give the Mocs a 35-27 cushion at halftime. The Mocs shot 52.2 percent in the half, including 5-of-7 from downtown, but their 11 turnovers led to 10 Spartan points.
Game Notes: The game between Charleston and Georgia Southern is Saturday, March 6, at 9 a.m. in Bojangles Coliseum... The Mocs have trailed in every game this season... Chattanooga has won nine straight games against UNCG... The Mocs are 5-1 against the Spartans in SoCon Tourney play... The loss broke a three-game win streak for UNCG.
Game 4: #2 Samford 57, #10 Elon 38
Photo Slideshow
Box Score
Postgame Quotes
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Samford University's women's basketball team defeated Elon 57-38 in the quarterfinals of the Southern Conference Women's Basketball Championship in the Bojangles Coliseum Friday morning. The Bulldogs await the winner of No. 3 Appalachian State and No. 11 Furman which will be played Saturday at approximately 11:30 a.m.
The guard trio of Emily London (15), Monica Maxwell (12) and Megan Wilderotter (11) combined for 38 points to lead the Bulldogs. Elon forward Kelsey Evans had 13 for the Phoenix.
The Bulldogs broke open a close game in the second half with a 12-2 run to take a 46-34 lead with 6:43 left in the game. Elon closed to nine points, 47-38 with 4:46 left, but Samford scored the final 10 points for the 19-point win.
Savannah Hill tied her career high with 14 rebounds helping power a 42-36 advantage on the glass for the Bulldogs, while Maxwell added eight. Urysla Cotton led the Phoenix with eight boards.
Samford opened the game strong jumping out to a 9-2 lead on a three-point play by Hill at 17:09. Elon made 2-13 from the field to open the game and was down 14-6 before an 11-2 run gave Elon its first lead, 17-16, on a layup by Lei Lei Hairston at 8:06.
The Phoenix held Samford without a field goal for before Maxwell ended the drought with a three-pointer at 6:02. Samford knotted the score at the half (25-25) on a Maxwell jumper as the shot clock expired and the game clock turned to zero.
Both team's defenses limited its opponents chances. Samford hit 40.4 percent from the field, 21 of 52, but limited Elon to 24.1 percent (14-58). The Bulldogs' defense keyed the pivotal second half runs by allowing Elon just five field goals in 31 attempts (16.1%).
This was the fourth game of the Southern Conference Women's Basketball Championship. It is followed by No. 1 Chattanooga against No. 9 UNC Greensboro on Friday. The remaining two quarterfinal matchups are played Saturday morning as No. 4 College of Charleston tackles No. 5 Georgia Southern at 9 a.m., followed by Appalachian State and Furman.