Box Score Box score
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Sparked by Rachel Brittenham’s career-high 17 points, Wofford College opened up their 2010-11 Southern Conference scheduled with a 78-66 win over the visiting Georgia Southern Eagles Wednesday night in Ben Johnson Arena.
Brittenham set her new career mark by going 5-of-7 from behind the three-point line including three baskets from well behind the men’s three-point line. She was also 2-of-5 from the free throw line and tied another career mark with six assists.
The win gave the Terriers a 3-4 overall record and a 1-0 start in the conference, while the Eagles slipped to 1-6 overall and 0-1 in SoCon play. Wofford also picks up their first win over Georgia Southern under head coach Edgar Farmer and their first win over the Eagles since February 1, 2002. It is the first time since the 2001-02 season the Terriers have started SoCon play 1-0.
Wofford, who is now 3-0 when scoring first, put the first points on the scoreboard as Jessica Escorza opened the game with a three. Wofford ran the lead to 11-1 on a Mahagony Williams post move at the 17-minute mark. Williams scored scored six of Wofford’s first 11 points during the stretch.
However, the Eagles mounted a comeback and tied the game at 15 on two free throws from Mimi Dubose with 11 minutes to play in the half. Brittenham responded with her first three of the night to give the Terriers an 18-15 lead, a lead they would never relinquish. Wofford held a slim margin until an April Moorhouse layup gave the Terriers a 33-23 lead with a minute and half to play. Brittenham followed with a triple as the Terriers took their largest lead of the half 36-23, but the Eagles knocked down the final two baskets of the half with layups from Krista Tate and Meredyth Frye to give the game the score of 36-27, Wofford, at the break.
Wofford shot a sizzling 54 percent from the floor in the half and 40 percent from behind the arc, while Georgia Southern managed only 24 percent overall and 16 percent from long range. Georgia Southern’s Tate led all scorers at the intermission with ten points, while Moorhouse had nine for Wofford.
The Eagles came out of the gate in the second half and trimmed the lead to six on a Samantha Williams three on their first possession, and at the 14-minute mark pulled within four points, 47-43, on another Samantha Williams bucket.
Wofford responded with a layup by Williams and a three by Logan Morris on their next two possessions to push the lead back to nine points and regain control of the contest 30 seconds later. A Jessica Escorza three gave Wofford a 57-47 lead with ten minutes to play, and the Terriers held their largest lead of the game, 68-54, on a Brittenham three six minutes later.
Down the stretch, Wofford hit five of their six free throws, three by Maddie Helms and two by Brittenham, to close out the game and give the Terriers the 78-66 win.
Eleven of Brittenham’s 17 points came in the second half as she was 3-for-3 from three and both her free throws came in the period.
Wofford finished the game with a 45 percent field goal percentage, a 36 percent three-point percentage and a 56 percent free throw percentage. Georgia Southern ended the game 41 percent from the floor, 42 percent from three and 75 percent from the charity strip.
Wofford outrebounded Georgia Southern 45-35, however the Eagles won the turnover battle with 13 turnovers compared to the Terriers 19. Woffford’s 19 turnovers was their lowest of the season.
Following Brittenham for the Terriers was Williams, who earned her school leading 22nd double-double of her career and her third double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds, ten of which came in the second half. Williams has scored in double digits in six straight games. Moorhouse added 13 points and nine boards. Freshmen Escorza and Morris chipped in 12 points and ten points apiece. Wofford has a freshman score in double-digits in six of their opening seven games.
For the Eagles, Tate and Samantha Williams had 17 and 16 points respectively. Fyre and Dubose added 11 points apiece. Frye was 4-of-7 from the floor and made two of her three free throws. Danielle Spencer grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
Wofford will return to the court Sunday, December 12th against Bluefield College with tipoff scheduled for 3 p.m.
