SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford women's basketball team fought hard Saturday afternoon against the ETSU Buccaneers, but the Terriers fell 63-50 in a defensive battle in the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. Wofford's first conference loss drops the Terriers to 14-6 (6-1 SoCon). The Bucs improve to 13-9 (4-3 SoCon).
 
The contest was Wofford's Play4Kay pink game, which drew a lively crowd of 778 to the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.
 
Both defenses were in tune today, but the Bucs were just a little more stifling. Wofford shot 27.9 percent from the floor and 20.7 percent from three while ETSU posted marks of 35.3 percent and 38.1 percent, respectively. The Bucs got to the free throw more, going 19-of-22 at the stripe with Wofford just 6-of-8. The Terriers owned the glass again, however, securing 43 rebounds with 19 offensive boards. ETSU was held to 36 rebounds with only seven offensive. This is Wofford's 10^th-straight game with 40-plus boards. The Terriers won the paint 20-14 and tallied 11 second chance points to ETSU's seven.
 
Evangelia Paulk led the way with 16 points and 12 rebounds to pace either team in those categories. The double-double is her fifth of the season and the 10^th of her career, making her only the sixth Terrier all-time with at least 10 double-doubles. Paulk added four assists and a steal.
 
Helen Matthews was the only one to join Paulk in double figures with 15 points. She narrowly missed a double-double with eight boards alongside three assists and a block. Libby Privett posted seven points with five rebounds, and Maddie Heiss netted six points with a pair of assists. Mia Flor contributed five rebounds with a block, a steal, and two points.
 
Wofford won the tip, and the Terriers scored first with a put-back bucket by Helen Matthews. ETSU pulled level, but Matthews struck from distance with Evangelia Paulk adding an and-one for an 8-2 lead. The Bucs fought back to within one, but Queen Ikhiuwu scored for some breathing room. A Buc free throw was topped by a Libby Privett triple, but ETSU pushed back to tie the game at 15. Matthews scored a put-back, but ETSU ended the quarter with a three to claim an 18-17 edge after one frame.
 
The teams traded blows to start the second quarter, but a seven-point ETSU run pushed the Bucs ahead by six (25-19). Molly Masingale's layup was matched by a Buc score, but Paulk secured another three-point play to pull Wofford within three at the 3:12 mark. Both defenses held firm from there with neither squad scoring again in the half, so ETSU clung to a 27-24 advantage at the break.
 
Mia Flor opened the second-half scoring with a paint bucket to pull Wofford within a point, but ETSU notched the next six points to stay ahead. Paulk took charge for Wofford, swiping a steal for a score to kick-start a stretch of her scoring five-straight points for the Terriers. However, ETSU added a three in the midst, and the Bucs closed the quarter with a pair of free throws to remain in front 38-31 entering the final frame.
 
Just four seconds into the fourth quarter, ETSU hit a three. However, Paulk responded with her own deep ball just 30 seconds later. The Bucs would add another three, sparking a 6-1 swing that Matthews broke with a three of her own. A Maddie Heiss jumper with 5:03 remaining brought Wofford within nine, 49-40. A Buc score was met by a Heiss triple at the 2:33 mark, but ETSU responded with a three of its own with two minutes to go. Time began to run thin, and Wofford was forced to start fouling. Unfortunately for the Terriers, the Bucs were converting the majority of their foul shots. Despite late buckets from Privett and Matthews, the Wofford comeback push fell just short as the Terriers lost 63-50.
 
Wofford will get a week of recovery before hitting the court again to kick off the back half of Southern Conference play. The Terriers will travel to Greenville, South Carolina, to face the rival Furman Paladins on Saturday, February 8. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. inside the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.