Cougar Rally Comes Up Short, Fall to Wildcats, 71-57 - CofCSports.com--Official Web site of College of Charleston Athletics

Tuesday, January 3

Davidson, N.C.

12pm

College of Charleston

Davidson

Cougar Rally Comes Up Short, Fall to Wildcats, 71-57 - CofCSports.com--Official Web site of College of Charleston Athletics

1/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

#articleRelated { display: none !important; } The College of Charleston rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit to cut the margin to one with only five minutes left but could not overtake the Wildcats and fell to Davidson, 71-57, in women's basketball action this afternoon in front of 1,162 fans at Belk Arena in Davidson, NC.

The Wildcats move to .500 on the year at 6-6 and improve their Southern Conference mark to 2-1. The Cougars drop their fifth straight, falling to 3-7 overall and 1-2 in SoCon play.

Junior Jessica Mitchell gave Davidson a 13-7 lead on a jumper from the wing with 14:00 left in the half. Mitchell was one of four players to score in double-figures as she dropped in 10 points, along with four assists and four steals.

After the Cougars moved to within one-point, 13-12, on a three-ball by Anne Hunter, the Wildcats went on a 12-4 run, capped off by a jumper from freshman Mercedes Robinson, and had a lead of 25-16 with 3:32 to go on the clock. Five different players scored during the run, including back-to-back threes from sophomores Danielle Hemerka and Honna Housley, who got her first start of the season.

Davidson then got back-to-back jumpers by senior Janell Crayton and junior Tia Washington in the closing seconds on the first half and the Wildcats had its biggest lead going into halftime at 35-22. Davidson shot 45.2 percent in the first half, while the Cougars shot 34.5 percent.

Coming out of halftime, the College of Charleston got back into the contest with a 9-2 run to start the new period and were within six, 37-31, with 17:14 left in the game due in large part to seven straight points from Erica Irick, who finished the half with 18 points and 20 on the night. Davidson maintained at least a five-point lead till the 10:42 mark when Irick moved the Cougars to within three-points, 47-44, on a jumper from the corner.

The Wildcats responded though, pushing the lead back out to eight points, 52-44, on a layup by Washington.
The Cougars came right back and used one last charge to cut the Wildcats lead down to one-point, 56-55. College of Charleston went on an 11-4 run and forced Davidson to call a timeout at 4:52. College of Charleston was a perfect 5-of-5 from the field during the run.

Davidson used a 15-3 run over the final four minutes of play, going 9-for-10 at free throw line during the stretch for its second SoCon win of the year at 71-57. Mitchell hit 5-for-6 at line to lead the charge and Davidson as a team finished 18-for-26.

Davidson was only called for five fouls and the College of Charleston only had one free throw attempt in the second half, its only trip to the line for game, after coming into the contest third in the SoCon at 71.3 percent from the charity stripe.

Washington and Crayton each finished with 16 points apiece and were a combined 10-for-10 from the free throw line. Washington dished out a team-high five assists, while Crayton had a team-high eight rebounds off the bench. Junior Brynn Kelly (Spokane, Wash.) was the fourth player in double-digits with 10 points.

Sarah Moye matched Irick in double-figures by finishing with a double-double, the first of her career, with a career-high 10 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Anne Hunter also totaled nine points, a cereer-high for her as well. The Cougars shot 55.2 percent (16-of-29) from the field in the second half, while winning the rebounding margin 38-32. Charleston finished the game with 44.8 percent from the field. Davidson shot 43.1 percent.

Davidson will hit the court against Western Carolina on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 2:00 PM. The Cougars finally return home, hosting Wofford at 2:00 PM Saturday as well.