Box Score Box Score (pdf)
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Three Terriers scored in double figures, led by freshman Kentra Washington's career-high 14 points, but the Wofford women's basketball team fell in a close contest to Samford, 61-55, Saturday afternoon at Benjamin Johnson Arena.
Samford (9-16, 7-7 SoCon) went into the half ahead 33-22, thanks in part to a half-court buzzer-beater from Hannah Nichols. The Bulldog lead extended to 13 on the first possession of the second half, but the Terriers (5-18, 3-10 SoCon) came storming back with a 12-0 run to cut the deficit to one, 35-34.
It was as close as Wofford could get. Samford answered with a big run of their own, scoring 11 of the next 13 points to go back up by 10. The lead grew to as many as 11 with 7:17 to play, and Wofford gave it one last run by cutting it to a three-point game with 24 seconds on the clock, but could not get over the hump.
Washington shot 6-of-10 and was 2-of-4 from long range, adding four rebounds and a steal. Samford put four in double figures, including 14 points apiece from Ellen Riggins and Christy Robinson. Washington and the two Bulldogs shared the game's individual scoring high.
Jordan Frazier and Chanel Stokes scored 12 and 11 points, respectively. The sophomore duo had two assists apiece, while Frazier added five rebounds and four steals. It was Frazier's first game back after missing last week's contest against Furman, recovering from a nose injury. Nichols and KeKe Fletcher also scored 12 and 11, respectively, to complete Samford's quartet of double-figure scorers.
On the glass, sophomore Ashton Fleming grabbed a game-high nine boards to help Wofford outrebound Samford, 37-28. Junior Lauren Kirby contributed with eight, six of which came in the first half.
For the game, Samford outshot Wofford 44.7 percent to 35.3 percent. Both teams struggled turning the ball over as Wofford finished with 22 and Samford had 21. The Bulldogs shot 5-of-8 from long range in the first half, but Wofford clamped down on defense to hold them 0-for-5 in the second and give itself a chance for a comeback.
The Terriers got off to a hot start, scoring the game's first six points through the opening four minutes. Stokes was responsible for four, including a triple to cap the run.
Wofford went into a drought of 7:06 without a point as Samford came roaring back, scoring the next 11 to take an 11-6 lead. Junior Michelle Merritt ended the drought with her first points of the afternoon at the 9:17 mark. She scored the game's next bucket a minute later, completing the day with four points.
Samford scored five straight to go up six, and extended the lead to nine courtesy of a Fletcher 3-ball at the 2:23 mark. Robinson put the Bulldogs ahead by double digits for the first time with 35 seconds to play in the half, but Stokes made a jumper with the clock at six seconds to cut it back to an eight-point game.
It would have been a single-digit halftime deficit, but Nichols took the in-bounds pass with the clock winding down and made it a few feet from the center of half-court before launching a shot off the glass and in at the buzzer. It gave the Bulldogs their biggest lead of the game, 33-22.
Fletcher had all 11 of her points at halftime, while Robinson was in double digits as well with 10. Stokes led all Terriers with eight points and Kirby led the game in rebounds with six. Samford outshot Wofford 46.7 percent (14-30 FG) to 32 percent (8-25 FG), knocking down five triples.
Wofford went on its run to begin the second half, scoring 12 straight after Robinson's layup to make it a one-point game. It got started with a steal and fast-break layup by Frazier. The two sides went nearly three minutes without a point before Frazier was good for another fast-break bucket. Stokes hit a pair of free throws to cut it to seven and the Terriers scored on five straight possessions, capped by a Washington lay-in, to make it 35-34 with 14:28 left to play.
Robinson ended the run, scoring Samford's first bucket in over five minutes. Riggins followed with a pair from the line to get the Bulldogs back ahead by five. Terrier senior Erin Frost interrupted Samford's response with two of her four points in the game, but the Bulldogs went on to score seven straight to lead 46-36 at the 11:27 mark.
A 5-0 Wofford run followed, capped by a Washington triple. Again, Samford responded with six straight to re-extend the lead to 11 on a Riggins lay-in.
The game took an emotional turn with 6:40 to play. Morris had the ball down low on the left side and was tripped up from behind by Krista Stricklin. Morris went down in obvious pain and limped off the court after being down for approximately five minutes. She did not return.
The Morris injury seemed to rally the Terriers. Frost buried a pair of free throws, remaining perfect on the season at 14-of-14, sparking a 6-1 Terrier run that ended with Washington's second made three of the game. It brought the score within five, 55-50, with 4:46 remaining.
Samford went back up eight with 3:34 to play, but turned the ball over four times through the final two minutes to keep Wofford alive. Unfortunately, the Terriers could not capitalize on the opportunities and scored just two points off those four turnovers, as the Bulldogs improved to .500 in SoCon play.
The Wofford women's basketball team hosts league-leading Chattanooga (22-3, 14-0 SoCon) on Monday night. The game will be broadcast online on ESPN3.
Terrier Notes
- Freshman Kentra Washington scored a career-high 14 points, eclipsing her previous high of 10, which she scored against Davidson (Dec. 7). Her six made field goals were also a career-high.
- Washington led the Terriers in scoring for the first time this season.
- Jordan Frazier scored 12 points, marking double figures for the 15th time this season, the most on the team.
- Chanel Stokes scored 11 points, marking double figures for the sixth time this season.
- Erin Frost remained 100 percent on the free throw line this season. She is 14-of-14.
- Logan Morris was injured at the 6:40 mark of the second half and did not return.
- Samford now leads the all-time series 14-2.
