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WCU women top Furman after losses to UNC-G, GSU
Western Carolina’s women’s basketball team finally won a home game when the Lady Cats edged Furman 79-73 in overtime Saturday.
It was the last of three Southern Conference games played during the week at the Ramsey Center.
WCU 79 Furman 73
Lauren Powell scored 22 points, and Teshymia Tillman had 20 leading the Lady Cats (3-14, 3-5) to Saturday’s overtime victory over Furman. Teyawna Hardy added 13 points.
The Lady Paladins were led by Chrissy Phelps with 15 points. She was joined in double figures by Tommi Parris with 14, Melissa Liebschwager with 12 and Megan Scott with 11.
This three-pointer by Lauren Powell with 25 seconds left in overtime gave Western Carolina the lead for good in Saturday’s 79-73 overtime victory over Furman. – WCU photo by Mark Haskett
Powell’s three-pointer with 25 seconds left gave WCU the lead for good, 75-72. She added two free throws for a 77-72 margin with eight seconds remaining.
Furman led 25-20 at halftime and stayed on top until Hardy made two free throws giving WCU a 38-36 edge. That was part of a 17-2 run, including eight by Tillman, that resulted in a 44-38 advantage at the 11:30 mark.
The Lady Paladins regained the lead at 59-58 on a Phelps’ trey with 1:54 on the clock.
Tillman’s jumper and Monique Dawson’s foul shot put Western up 63-61 with 17 seconds to go.
Liebschwager’s layup tied it with three seconds left in regulation.
Furman shot 41.5 percent from the floor, and WCU made 41.1 percent of its field goal tries.
Tillman’s nine rebounds helped the Lady Cats control the boards 46-38. Phelps had eight rebounds for the Lady Paladins.
Furman committed 19 turnovers, and Western had 15.
Completing the WCU scoring were Dawson with seven, Chevon Keith and Kendra Eaton with four apiece, Jessika Johnson with three, and April Parker, Erin May and Amelia Miller all with two.
UNC-G 69 WCU 60
UNC-Greensboro scored the game’s final 10 points to take a 69-60 win over Western on Jan. 18.
Jasmine Byrd had 12 points for the Lady Spartans, and Irene Otamiri added 10.
WCU was led by Dawson with 16 and Powell with 14.
After trailing throughout the game, the Lady Cats took their first lead, 56-55, on Powell’s three-pointer with 5:32 to play.
They were up 60-59 following two Dawson foul shots at the 2:22 mark but failed to score again.
KaLeah Latham’s layup put UNC-G ahead to stay, 61-60, with two minutes left. That started the closing 10-0 run, the last four of which were Kemena Brooks foul shots.
The Lady Spartans opened the game similarly to how they closed it, as they scored the first 11 points, including five by Byrd.
WCU cut the gap to 19-17 on Keith’s jumper with 12:43 on the clock.
UNC-G built the lead back to 43-31 after Kristen Boone’s layup at the 1:07 mark and held a 43-37 advantage at intermission
The Lady Spartans shot 39.7 percent from the field compared to WCU’s 38.9 percent.
Seven rebounds apiece by May and Johnson helped Western control the boards 42-35. UNC-G’s Meghan Chamberlin had eight rebounds.
The Lady Cats were hurt by 23 turnovers while the Lady Spartans had 15.
Rounding out the WCU scoring were Keith with eight, Tillman with six, Ashley Pellom with five, Parker with four, Eaton with three, and May and Johnson both with two.
GSU 72 WCU 70
Georgia Southern held off the Lady Cats for a 72-70 win on Jan. 16.
Nicole Newton scored 19 points for the Lady Eagles, and Chequilla Jessie had 14.
Keith led the Lady Cats with 15 points. Also in double figures were Dawson with 13, Powell with 12 and Pellom with 10.
GSU broke away from a tie with seven straight points to take the lead for good. Ashley Rivens converted a three-point play for a 66-63 edge at the 2:46 mark. Her two foul shots extended the margin to 70-63 with 1:36 on the clock.
WCU fought back and narrowed the gap to 71-70 on Pellom’s layup with five seconds left.
Lee Dubose was immediately fouled and hit one of two free throws for a 72-70 lead.
The Lady Cats had a chance to tie it at the buzzer, but Tillman missed a layup.
Western got off to a quick start and led 10-2 on Johnson’s layup with 15:17 to play in the first half.
The Lady Eagles used an 11-2 spurt, including four by Shawnda Atwood, to take the lead. Rivens’ two free throws capped the run making it 28-21 with 4:55 on the clock.
GSU led 35-26 at intermission.
The Lady Eagles made 38.1 percent of their field goal attempts while WCU shot 37.1 percent.
Chequilla Jones’ 11 rebounds helped GSU dominate the boards 50-38. Parker topped the Lady Cats with nine.
The Lady Eagles committed 25 turnovers, and Western had 16.
Completing the WCU scoring were Parker with seven, Tillman with six, Johnson with five and May with two.
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