CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Freshman Mahagony Williams registered her first career double-double, but a second half Western Carolina surge carried the second-place Lady Catamounts to an 87-65 victory Saturday afternoon inside the Ramsey Center in Cullowhee, N.C. The Little Rock, Ark., native scored 10 points and added a career-high 13 rebounds for the double-double. She also had a career-best tying five blocks on the defensive end for the second-straight game, extending her team-best total to 42.

Wofford (9-15, 2-11 SoCon) opened the second half with a strong offensive effort, including five-straight points from junior Liz Miller to pull within one, 45-44, at 13:13. However, over the next four minutes Western Carolina (20-6, 12-2 SoCon) scored 11 points to the Terriers’ five as part of a 24-9 run capped by an Emily Clarke triple with 5:10 remaining giving the Lady Cats a 69-53 lead.

Twenty-two total field goals, on 53.7 percent shooting in the second half, enabled Western Carolina to pull ahead in the second frame. The Lady Catamounts topped the 50-point mark in the second half for the second time this season against Wofford.

Both teams played an even first half with Western able to jump in front, 31-28, at the break by scoring the final five points. Nine of the ten Terriers netted points during the opening 20 minutes with junior Kate Dempsey scoring a team-high six. Miller, Wofford’s leading scorer, added five points before leaving with over eight minutes left in the stanza with three fouls. In her absence, Williams registered the next four Wofford points before sophomore Kristin Bradley drilled a 3-pointer to knot the scoring at 22-22.

The Terriers also got buckets from sophomore Natalie Gramblin, Dempsey and freshman Ashley Kroker before the half ended and built a 28-26 edge at 3:22. However, the Lady Catamounts pulled ahead on the strength of a baseline jumper from Kendra Carroll, a free throw from Kendra Eaton and a put-back by Chevon Keith with :32 seconds left in the session.

Miller led all scorers with 15 points, while Dempsey reached double figures for the second-straight game with 12 off the bench.

Western Carolina was led by 14 from Clarke, with Lauren Powell adding 13, Heather Swayne chipping in 11 and Ashley Pellom pouring in 10. Kristen Feemster was the top rebounder for WCU with 11, including 10 defensively.

Wofford will continue its road swing with a 7 p.m. Monday stop in Chattanooga, Tenn., to face Southern Conference leader Chattanooga who enters the game on a 17-game winning streak. Western Carolina will welcome Furman to Cullowhee, N.C., for a 7 p.m. Monday tip.