Box Score February 27, 2010
Wofford vs. WCU Box Score
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Junior Mahagony Williams led three Terriers in double-digit points as the Wofford women’s basketball team held on for a key overtime Southern Conference win over Western Carolina, 75-71.
The Terriers scored a quick five points to open the game, but Western Carolina answered and tied the score at 5 at the 15:21 mark. From there, the Catamounts went on a 9-0 run and stretched their lead to as many as 10 points before Wofford responded. A good jumper from senior Kristin Bradley was the spark the Terriers needed, and the team scored nine straight points before the run was stopped.
Western Carolina sank a two-pointer and then a three to claim a five-point lead with 4:42 remaining in the half, but the Terriers had an answer in the form of freshman Daniella Motley, who scored four straight points to cut the Catamount lead to one. Two made Terrier free throws gave Wofford the one-point advantage, but the Catamounts were able to sneak in two jumpers before the buzzer, giving them a 27-24 lead at halftime.
A jumper from Caitlin Hollifield to open the second half gave Western Carolina a five-point lead, the largest either team would see for the remainder of the second half. Senior Kelly Dwyer connected on two straight three-pointers to put the Terriers up by one, and over the next three minutes of play, the teams were deadlocked with tied scores on three occasions.
With the score knotted at 34 with 15:20 remaining, two Terrier layups gave Wofford its largest lead of the half at four points, but Western Carolina’s Feemster answered with two of her own. The teams traded baskets and two made free throws for the Catamounts tied the score again at 42 with 8:39 left to play in regulation.
The remaining time would see three additional tied scores, as the teams battled for any advantage. A jumper from Rachel Brittenham put the score at 57-57 with 17 seconds remaining, but a foul called on the Terriers gave Western Carolina’s Jessica Jackson a chance to seal the win at the line. Jackson missed both free throws, sending the game into overtime.
The Terriers came out strong in the overtime period, scoring eight unanswered points in the first two and a half minutes. A three-pointer from Jackson with 43 seconds remaining put the Catamounts within three, but senior Kelly Dwyer sank three free throws to give the Terriers a more comfortable six-point lead.
Jackson sank another three-pointer with four seconds on the clock, bringing the score within two and giving the Catamounts a chance to send the game to a second overtime, but Wofford’s Kristin Bradley knocked down both free throws to seal the 75-71 win for the Terriers.
Five Catamounts notched double-digit points in the loss, with Kristen Feemster leading the way with 14 points. Emily Clarke added 13, Kaila’Shea Menendez and Caitlin Hollifield each contributed 12 and Jessica Jackson added 10. Feemster also led the team in rebounds with seven.
The Terriers’ were led by Mahagony Williams, who notched a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds while also adding four blocks. Seniors Kelly Dwyer and Natalie Gramblin added 14 and 13 points, respectively. As a team, the Terriers went 23-52 from the field for a .442 field goal percentage.
With the win, Wofford improves to 8-20 overall and 6-14 in the Southern Conference while Western Carolina falls to 7-22 on the season and 6-14 in league play. The Terriers will take the court next in the 2010 Southern Conference Championship, held March 4-8 in Charlotte, N.C. Wofford will face an opponent yet to be determined on Thursday, March 4.
