Box Score Box Score
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Wofford overcame an early deficit but could not withstand a strong late second half charge by Davidson which carried into overtime as the Terriers dropped an 84-76 decision against the Lady Wildcats Saturday afternoon inside the Benjamin Johnson Arena in Spartanburg, S.C. It marked the second-straight game played in Spartanburg between the two schools to go an extra five minutes following last season's overtime thrilling 68-65 Wofford triumph on Senior Day.
Julia Paquette scored back-to-back buckets to give Davidson (17-9, 11-4 SoCon) an early 4-0 cushion before Natalie Gramblin knocked down the Terriers' first field goal atttempt at 18:01 to bring the score to a one-possession game. The Lady Wildcats continued to dominate on the offensive end by using an 11-2 surge, capped by a jumper from Ashley Lax at 12:46. Davidson also forced five turnovers in the same time period to take a 15-4 lead.
Two free throws by freshman Maddie Helms, her fifth and sixth attempts of the season, stopped the run at 11:55. They also helped kick-start the Terrier offense, which closed the gap to two, 17-15, on a jumper by Gramblin as part of a 6-0 run.
Following a pair of charity tosses from Alex Thompson, who was 10-of-10 from the line in the game, rookie Ashley Kroker nailed a triple at 6:29 to pull Wofford (9-17, 2-13 SoCon) within one, 19-18. Paquette and Gramblin traded a pair of foul shots apiece before Helms drained a 3-pointer from the wing to give the Terriers their first advantage, 23-21, with 5:14 remaining in the half.
Helms then hit her second-straight trey at 4:33 forcing a Lady Wildcat timeout. Wofford used the momentum from her six-straight points to outscore Davidson 13-2 the remainder of the half, including a triple from sophomore Kristin Bradley and take a 33-23 halftime edge. Bradley's trey, marking the eighth-straight game in which she has scored, pushed the Terrier lead to 12 before Mercedes Robinson scored the final field goal of the half with :32 seconds to play with a runner in the lane.
The Lady Wildcats tallied 12 of the second half's opening 16 points to close the deficit to two, 37-35, on two free throws from Robinson at 13:49. Junior Liz Miller then took control for Wofford, scoring the next four points. She converted a layup and was fouled on the play. After missing the ensuing free throw, she grabbed the offensive board and put in another layup.
The Terriers then forced an offensive foul on the other end before Gramblin hit a jumper at 13:12 to push the advantage back out to eight, 43-35, forcing another Davidson timeout. The Lady Wildcats would then receive four points form Danielle Hemerka before Honna Housley hit a 3-pointer at 10:24 to knot the score at 45-45.
Kelly Gassie gave the visitors their first lead since 5:37 of the opening frame with a jumper at 9:58. Neither team mounted more than a two-point edge until Miller's layup at 3:40 gave Wofford a three-point, 60-57, edge. Miller provided the Terriers with another three-point lead, 68-65, with :40 seconds remaining in regulation before Paquette drew the Lady Wildcats within one with :26 seconds left. Junior Laura Depko hit 1-of-2 free throws with :20 seconds showing on the clock for a two-point Wofford edge, but Robinson had two shots in the final six seconds, the second coming off an offensive rebound, and she hit the put-back tying attempt with :02 seconds to force overtime.
In the extra stanza, Paquette gave Davidson the early lead, but senior Kelsi Koenig banked in a 3-pointer for a 72-71 Wofford lead. Freshman Mahagony Williams grabbed a rebound off another missed triple attempt and put in the rebound as the Terriers built a three-point edge. The lead grew to four on a free throw from Miller at 3:20, but the Lady Wildcat defense took over at that point.
Davidson registered 8-of-10 free throws in the overtime period, but it was Alex Thompson's top-of-the-key 3-pointer at 1:27 which gave it a 77-75 non-relinquished lead. The Lady Wildcats closed the scoring by hitting free throws with only one by Gramblin spoiling the 13-1 game-closing run.
Paquette led all players with a career-high 23 points, while Thompson added 18 including 10 from the foul line. Robinson finished with her 12th double-double of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Williams paced the Terriers with her second career double-double, and second in three games, with 12 points and a career-best 17 rebounds. Thirteen of her 17 caroms came on the defensive glass, while she also blocked a career-high six shots and swiped a career-best three steals.
Miller also finished with a double-double, the first of her career. She tallied 14 points and hauled in a career-high 10 rebounds, one more than the previous mark of nine set earlier this season at Davidson Jan. 26.
Gramblin finished with a team-best and career-high tying 15 points.
Wofford also tied a Division I era single-game team record with 12 blocked shots, set on two instances with the last coming Jan. 27, 1996, against Navy.
The Terriers will return to action with the final home game of the season, a 6 p.m. Monday tip against Appalachian State. Prior to the game, Wofford will honor Koenig as part of Senior Night festivities.
