Box Score Box score (pdf)
CHATTANOOGA, TENN. – The Wofford women’s basketball team was outscored 45-37 in the second half as they fell to Chattanooga, 74-67, Friday night in The McKenzie Arena in a Southern Conference game.
The Terriers suffered their first loss of the season after trailing at the half; Wofford was up 30-29 over UTC at the intermission. The Terriers were previously 7-0 after leading at the break.
Wofford got off to a quick start with the first seven points including a three-point play from Morgan Wrightson just over a minute into play. Six straight points from Daniella Motley ended an 8-4 run by Chattanooga as Wofford held a 16-12 lead with 13:06 to play in the half.
Chattanooga flipped an 18-14 deficit into a 21-18 lead with a 7-0 run with five points from Alex Black, but Lauren Kirby ended the run with an offensive rebound and putback with just over eight minutes to play to cut the lead to 21-20.
The Lady Mocs pulled ahead with a 6-0 run with four points from Whitney Hood to take a 27-20 lead three minutes later. Wofford pulled within four points, 29-25, on three-point play by Mariah Masalin with 3:22 to play in the half.
The Terriers held the Lady Mocs scoreless over the final 3:22 as they ended the half on a 5-0 run highlighted a Logan Morris corner three.
The two teams went into the half with nearly an identical field goal percentage, 38 percent, but Wofford went 29 percent from three compared to 38 percent for Chattanooga.
The two teams traded baskets until Rachel Brittenham knocked down a three at the top of the key and Moorhouse scored on a putback to give Wofford a 44-39 lead with 14:20 remaining in the game.
Chattanooga responded with an 8-1 run to take a 47-45 lead on an Black three, but Morris responded with a jumper to tie the game at 47 with 12 minutes left in the game.
Neither team scored until Hood made two free throws for the Lady Mocs and Wrightson answered on the Terriers next possession to retie the game at 49 with just over eight minutes on the clock. Chattanooga followed with a 7-0 run to pull ahead 56-49 with 5:32 to play. A Masalin baseline jumper ended the run and pulled the Terriers within five points, 56-51 with just over four to play.
The Lady Mocs responded with a layup from Hall and a three from Kayla Christopher to take a 63-54 lead with just over two to play. Chattanooga pulled ahead by the largest lead of the game by either team, 65-56, but the Terriers pulled back within six points twice with threes from Wrightson and Erin Frost. The Terriers got within three points, 70-67, on a three from Frost with 14 seconds left, but Hall made her final four free throws to give the Lady Mocs the 74-67 win.
Wofford finished the game 41 percent from the floor and 40 percent fro three, while Chattanooga ended 40 percent overall and 50 percent from three. Wofford was whistled for 21 fouls, 15 in the second half, which sent UTC to the line 21 times, 19 times in the second half. The Lady Mocs were called for 13 fouls, seven in the second half, while the Terriers only shot seven free throws, five in the second half.
Wofford held a 40-28 advantage on points in the paint and 15-9 advantage on second chance points. UTC held a small advantage in rebounds 42-39, and forced 12 Wofford turnovers compared to 10 for the Lady Mocs.
The Terriers had four scorers in double-digits for the 11th time this season.
Morris paced the offense with 13 points, while Wrightson and Moorhouse followed with 12 points. Motley added ten points and missed her third consecutive double-double with nine rebounds. Wrightson and Brittenham had five assists each.
Hood led all scorers with 24 points, while Black and Christopher added 14 and 13 points respectively. Ten of her 24 points came from the free throw line, as she was 10-of-12 from the line. Hall grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.
The loss drops the Terriers to 9-6 overall and 2-4 in the SoCon, while Chattanooga improves to 11-4 overall and 6-0 in conference play.
Wofford stays on the road with a game at Samford on January 15 at 3 p.m. before returning home to the Benjamin Johnson for a game against Appalachian State on January 18 at 6 p.m.
