College of Charleston 82, Richmond 74

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Four College of Charleston women’s basketball players scored in double-figures to power the team to a 82-74 victory over Richmond Friday at TD Arena.

The Cougars victory over Richmond is their first victory over an Atlantic 10 Conference school since beating Charlotte 78-59 during the 1980-81 season.

Senior Megan Fischer led the Cougars (5-5, 2-0) with a season-high 18 points and fellow senior Latisha Harris added a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Senior Cathryn Hardy, who had nine offensive rebounds for the Cougars, scored 13 points and point guard Jillian Brown recorded her fifth career double-digit assist game with 10 assists. Junior Alyssa Frye added 15 points.

Fischer got the Cougars going as she scored the team’s first four points to help the Cougars to an early 6-2 lead. Richmond (7-6, 0-0) would respond as they used an 11-0 run to capture the lead at 13-6 with 12:21 to go in the first half.

Freshman Shannon Hines, who had seven points off the bench hit a three-pointer to get the Cougars back on track and Hardy, who went three-of-four from beyond the arc hit a three-pointer and the Cougars surged to a 36-32 halftime lead. For the game the Cougars hit 11 three-pointers, their third most for a single game in school history.

The Cougars opened the second half on a 6-0 to take a 42-32, but Richmond answered again as they got within two at 56-54 with 7:09 to play in the game.

Frye, who is among the top-10 in NCAA DI in three-pointers made per game stepped up and hit a three-pointer on the next possession to put the Cougars up five at 59-54 with 6:48 to play. From there the Cougars hit timely baskets and free-throws to secure the victory.

For the game the Cougars had 20 assists on 27 field goals and forced Richmond into 18 turnovers, converting 17 points off those turnovers.

No. 13 Tennessee 75, Davidson 40

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 13 Tennessee’s Bashaara Graves scored 12 of her game-high 16 points in the first half and the Lady Vols pulled away from Davidson, which was playing its second ranked opponent this year, 75-40, Friday evening in women’s basketball in Thompson-Boling Arena.

Graves led a trio of Tennessee (8-3) players in double figures and registered her fifth double-double, second-best in the SEC, with 10 rebounds. Isabelle Harrison had 13 points off the bench and Cierra Burdick registered a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Sophia Aleksandravicius led the Wildcats (4-7) with her 81st career double-digit scoring game, hitting 6-of-12 shots for 12 points. Laura Murray chipped in 11 and Sarah Davis added six points off the bench.

Tennessee won the battle on the boards, 46-26, while scoring 22 second-chance points off 21 offensive rebounds. UT also outscored Davidson’s bench 35-12.

Murray kept things close early for the Wildcats, nailing the game’s first trey and scoring seven points as Davidson played to an even 11-all tie seven minutes into the game.

Tennessee’s Harrison though sparked an 18-2 run over the next eight minutes and Davidson found itself down 29-13 at the 5:29 mark. UT scored 20 of its first 29 points down on the paint, getting 13 offensive rebounds in the first half. It finished with 40 total points down on the blocks.

Aleksandravicius got the Wildcat offense going again, scoring six straight to give her eight for the half, but Graves countered by netting six of her 12 first-half points in the last four minutes and Tennessee went into the break up 41-21.

The second half saw Tennessee score the first nine points and hold at least a 25-point margin the rest of the way.

The Wildcats other ranked opponent they faced this year was No. 23 Miami back on Dec. 8. They finished up their non-conference slate of games with a 3-7 mark, playing the likes of North Carolina, Rutgers, Miami and Tennessee among its non-conference foes.

Davidson returns home to open the new calendar year for a Jan. 5 tilt against Appalachian State at 3 p.m. The Wildcats and Mountaineers shared the league regular season title a year ago with 17-3 marks, but the ‘Cats sweep the Mountaineers in both meetings.

West Virginia 72, Appalachian State 67

MORGANTOWN, W. Va - Despite three scorers in double figures, Appalachian State women's basketball was unable to hang on for a win Friday. The Mountaineers (7-2, 1-0 SoCon) had a second close call this season in their 72-67 loss to West Virginia University (8-3) at WVU Coliseum.

Anna Freeman showed a strong effort in Appalachian's first match up against Big XII standout West Virginia. She recorded 25 points for the Mountaineers, along with four assists, five rebounds, and seven steals.

She was joined by fellow double-digit scorers Maryah Sydnor and Katie Mallow, who netted 19 and 13 points, respectively.

The Mountaineers entered halftime trailing the Mountaineers of West Virginia by 13 (37-24), thanks in part to a WVU run. Following a jumper from forward Averee Fields at the 5:35 mark, West Virginia took control and scored nine unanswered points, giving the Big XII Mountaineers a 34-22 advantage. Courtney Freeman capped the run with a layup with just over a minute remaining in the half.

Appalachian looked promising after the break when Maryah Sydnor nailed a free throw and followed with a layup on the App's first possession of the second half. But, WVU continued to pester the Mountaineers, and managed to control the lead throughout the second half. A combined effort from Anna Freeman andCourtney Freeman kept Appalachian in the game, while a Maryah Sydnor jumper pulled the Mountaineers within eight (58-50) with 8:17 remaining in the contest.

Kelsey Sharkey laid in a basket to knot the game at 65 with 2:37 left, but WVU responded on the next possession when Christal Caldwell swished a three to give the lead to West Virginia once more. After a Taylor Palmer foul sent Maryah Sydnor to the line again, the Mountaineers climbed back within one (68-67). App hoped to connect on the last possession of the game and seal the deal, but missed on four scoring opportunities. Following a timeout, Kelsey Sharkey would foul, sending Ayanna Dunning to the line, where she nailed both of her free throws to increase WVU's lead by three (70-67) with 22 ticks on the clock. Averee Fields approached the line following a foul from Anna Freeman to record West Virginia's final two points and close the contest at 72-67.

Up next, Appalachian returns to conference play, traveling to Davidson on January 5, followed by Furman on January 7.