Cougars at Davidson to Open 2011
1/2/2011 6:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The College of Charleston women's basketball team opens 2011 with a 7 p.m. tilt at Davidson Monday, Jan. 3. It is the third game in a six-game road swing for the Cougars, who are coming off an 86-74 setback at Charleston Southern Dec. 31.
Davidson (4-6, 0-2) sports a 21-8 record over the Cougars since the first meeting Jan. 6, 1997 (which CofC won 72-60). The College of Charleston (4-8, 1-2) has won the last four out of five meetings, however. The Wildcats earned a 72-69 decision in the last meeting, Feb. 20, 2010.
Charleston scored a season-high 74 points, but gave up a season-high 86 points as the Cougars fell to Charleston Southern in their last game. Several career-highs dotted the box score for the Cougars, with Janae Smith (Matteson, Ill.) posting her first double-double with a career-high 18 points and a career-best 10 rebounds. Megan Fischer (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) led the team with a career-high 20 points off a career-best four three-pointers. Cathryn Hardy's (Dayton, Ohio) 17 points was a career-best as well. She went a career-high 10-for-13 from the free-throw line. Jillian Brown (Midlothian, Va.) had a team-leading five assists, also a career mark.
The Cougars are led by Tonia Gerty (Port Orange, Fla.) with 11.1 points per game, followed by Smith with 9.6 a game. Latisha Harris (Aynor, S.C.) paces the team in rebounds with 5.2 a game.
Davidson has lost their last three in a row by an average of 2.6 points, including a 58-59 decision against UNC Greensboro Dec. 31. The Wildcats are led by Sophia Aleksandravicius with 17.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. She is followed by Kristen Johnsen and Laura Murray with 10.5 points a game.
Both the Cougars and Wildcats have lost the last three in a row. Charleston has not lost four in a row since dropping its last 10 of the 2006-07 season. Davidson hasn't done it since it opened the 2009-10 season 0-6.
Charleston is 2-4 on the road so far this year. The Cougars have been outscored 51.8-41.5 and have been out-rebounded 39.8-33.8. CofC is stronger from the perimeter with a .215 percentage, compared to .214 for the host schools
In the four games won by the Cougars this season, they have shot better (.369-.343). Rebounds are fairly even with Charleston holding a slight 37.8-37.5 advantage. Charleston has just a few less turnovers, 82-89, and a few more steals, 43-34. The games have been tight, with the point differential only 4.3.
Charleston has lost its eight games this season by a margin of 15.1 points and has been out-rebounded 35.1-37.0. CofC has been getting more second chances, holding a 104-94 edge in offensive boards.
Starting at North Carolina, the Cougars are on the road for six straight games, the next home game is Jan. 15 against UNC Greensboro. The fourth of six road games is against Appalachian State Jan. 5 at 7 p.m.
