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SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Despite outscoring Western Carolina in the second half, the Wofford women’s basketball team fell 58-54 to the Catamounts Saturday afternoon in the Benjamin Johnson Arena in a Southern Conference game.
Wofford (11-14, 4-12) now falls to 2-9 in games when trailing at the half and 1-12 in games when trailing with less than five minutes to play. With the win, Western improves to 10-14 overall and 5-10 in the Southern Conference.
Western Carolina took the early lead as they pulled ahead 11-5, but Morgan Wrightson knocked down a jumper and two free throws to cut the lead to 11-9 with just over 15 minutes to play in the half.
Wofford held Western Carolina scoreless for over three minutes until Makensey Campbell knocked down a three at 12:33 to push the lead out to five points, 14-9. Neither team would score until Rena Wakama made a three, three minutes later to extend the lead to eight points, 17-9.
Wrightson cut the lead to 17-16 with seven straight points from Wrightson on four free throws and a three, but the Catamounts scored on the next possession to extend the lead to 19-16 with just under seven minutes remaining in the half.
Janae Mckinney ended a 3:30 scoring drought for both teams with an offensive rebound and a layup, but Rachel Brittenham responded with a three for the Terriers at the four-minute mark to keep the Catamount lead at 21-19.
Wofford used a Mariah Masalin three to go on a 5-2 run and take a 24-23 lead with 2:19 left, but Western Carolina answered with 7-0 run to take a six point lead, 30-24 with 20 seconds left. Wrights notched the final point of the half free throw to cut the lead to 30-25.
Daniella Motley knocked down the first points of the second half two and a half minutes into play, while Western Carolina’s first points came a minute later on a Kalia Shea Menendez as the Catamounts held a 33-27 lead.
Wofford used four Wrightson points as part of a 6-3 run to cut the lead to 36-33 with 13:04 left in the game.
The Catamounts answered with a 7-3 run with all seven points coming from Menendez to take a 43-36 lead with just under 11-minutes left.
Mariah Masalin ended the run with two free throws and sparked an 8-2 Terrier run to cut the gap to one point, 45-44, with eight minutes to play.
Western Carolina answered with a 5-2 run to take a 50-46 lead a minute later, but Wofford pulled back within one point, 50-49 at the four-minute mark.
Following a Western Carolina lay-in, Brittenham again pulled Wofford to within a point, 52-51, with 3:29 left in regulation. Menendez answered with a jumper in the paint for the Catamounts as they went on a 4-0 run to take a 56-51 lead with 30 seconds left in the game.
Wofford’s Erin Frost knocked down a step-back three to end a 3:10 scoring drought for the Terriers and pull Wofford within 56-54 with 19 seconds left. The Terriers couldn’t convert the game-tying basket at nine seconds, as Alex Abraham made two free throws with six seconds left to seal the 58-54 win for the Catamounts.
Wofford finished 38 percent from the floor, 46 percent from three and 85 percent from the free throw, while Western Carolina ended the game 41 percent overall, 42 percent from long range and 73 percent from the charity stripe.
Wrightson led the Terriers with 18 points including nine points from the free throw line. It is her 18th game in double figures on the season. Motley chipped in ten points, and grabbed a game-high seven rebounds. April Moorhouse had eight points, and Masalin added seven points off the bench.
Menendez paced the Catamounts with 15 points and was the only player in double-digits.
Western Carolina held a plus-nine rebounding advantage, 35-26, including 15 offensive rebounds for the Catamounts compared to nine for the Terriers.
Wofford takes nine days off before traveling to Davidson on February 20 for its next game at 6 p.m. The Terriers then return home for their final home game of the season against Furman on February 22 at 6 p.m.
