Wildcats Nearly Pull Off Upset of No. 9 Georgia, Falling 74-68
11/19/2006 11:13:17 AM | Women's Basketball
Box Score
ATHENS, Ga.–– The Davidson women's basketball team placed four players in double figures and battled the ninth ranked team in the country down to the closing minutes of the game, but Georgia starved off the upset bid by scoring 17 of the final 27 points for a 74-68 victory on Sunday afternoon at Stegeman Coliseum. Davidson suffered its first loss of the season to fall to 2-1, while Georgia remained unbeaten at 3-0.
Davidson was up for the battle with the ninth ranked team in the nation from the start. The Wildcats raced out to a 9-5 lead, four coming from junior Danielle Hemerka (Blackwood, N.J.), in the first three and half minutes of play. Davidson would maintain the lead over the next 12 minutes of the half thanks to a 6-for-6 showing at the free throw line, while finishing the first stanza a perfect 12-for-12.
Georgia then took its first lead of the half when Cori Chambers found the bottom of the net from behind the arc at the 8:27 mark to give the Bulldogs a brief 19-18 advantage. Chambers would prove clutch for the Bulldogs all day, topping all scorers with 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including a 5-of-9 showing from behind the arc.
Shortly after UGA pushed its lead out to three, Davidson charged right back to regain the lead at 27-25 thanks to senior Tia Washington (Charlotte, N.C.) and freshman Julia Paquette (Stockbridge, Ga.). Washington hit Davidson's third three of the half from the top of the key and on the 'Cats next possession, Paquette calmly sank two free throws with 3:16 remaining in the half.
Chambers then sparked a 9-4 run over the next few minutes with two more three-pointers and Georgia had a 36-29 lead with 36 ticks on the clock. But Davidson would not back down, closing to within three, 36-33, before the final buzzer of the first half with a Paquette layup and two more free throws from freshman Alexandra Thompson (Asheville, N.C.).
Davidson came out with the same aggressiveness in the second half, opening the half on a 13-3 run capped off by a three-ball from senior Jessica Mitchell (Wilkesboro, N.C.) to retake the lead at 46-40. For seven minutes, the Wildcats held the lead, but Georgia slowly chipped away.
Trailing 56-50, the Bulldogs used a 7-0 run finished off by yet another three-pointer from Chambers to take the one-point lead with 8:39 remaining in the game.
Sophomore Mercedes Robinson (Mansfield, Texas) gave Davidson its final lead of the contest on the next possession with two free throws.
Christy Marshall gave Georgia the lead for good, 61-58, at the 6:49 mark with back-to-back 10-foot jumpers on the Bulldogs next two touches and they would maintain at least a three-point lead the rest of the way to escape with a 74-68 win.
Pacing Davidson offensively was Hemerka and Paquette with 12 points apiece. Paquette was a force down in the paint against the taller Bulldog players, hitting a season-best 5-of-7 from the field and 2-for-2 from the charity stripe. She also hauled in four rebounds as the Wildcats were only out-rebounded by four, 38-34, despite Georgia having five players 6-1 or taller.
Redshirt junior Katie Hamilton (Lilburn, Ga.) and Washington were the other two 'Cats to get into double digits with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Davidson missed just one free throw all game, making 14 straight at one point, and finished 17-for-18. The Wildcats also hit a season-best nine three-pointers, which were the most in a game since Davidson hit nine against Greensboro College in December of 2005.
Besides Chambers' 25 points, Marshall and Megan Darrah each scored in double figures with 16 and 10 points each. Darrah finished with a double-double, pulling down 11 rebounds.
Davidson will next travel to Rock Hill, S.C. to take on the Winthrop Eagles on Wed., Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. After its trip to Winthrop, Davidson will play at the Klosterman Buckeye Classic on Nov. 25-26.
ATHENS, Ga.–– The Davidson women's basketball team placed four players in double figures and battled the ninth ranked team in the country down to the closing minutes of the game, but Georgia starved off the upset bid by scoring 17 of the final 27 points for a 74-68 victory on Sunday afternoon at Stegeman Coliseum. Davidson suffered its first loss of the season to fall to 2-1, while Georgia remained unbeaten at 3-0.
Davidson was up for the battle with the ninth ranked team in the nation from the start. The Wildcats raced out to a 9-5 lead, four coming from junior Danielle Hemerka (Blackwood, N.J.), in the first three and half minutes of play. Davidson would maintain the lead over the next 12 minutes of the half thanks to a 6-for-6 showing at the free throw line, while finishing the first stanza a perfect 12-for-12.
Georgia then took its first lead of the half when Cori Chambers found the bottom of the net from behind the arc at the 8:27 mark to give the Bulldogs a brief 19-18 advantage. Chambers would prove clutch for the Bulldogs all day, topping all scorers with 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including a 5-of-9 showing from behind the arc.
Shortly after UGA pushed its lead out to three, Davidson charged right back to regain the lead at 27-25 thanks to senior Tia Washington (Charlotte, N.C.) and freshman Julia Paquette (Stockbridge, Ga.). Washington hit Davidson's third three of the half from the top of the key and on the 'Cats next possession, Paquette calmly sank two free throws with 3:16 remaining in the half.
Chambers then sparked a 9-4 run over the next few minutes with two more three-pointers and Georgia had a 36-29 lead with 36 ticks on the clock. But Davidson would not back down, closing to within three, 36-33, before the final buzzer of the first half with a Paquette layup and two more free throws from freshman Alexandra Thompson (Asheville, N.C.).
Davidson came out with the same aggressiveness in the second half, opening the half on a 13-3 run capped off by a three-ball from senior Jessica Mitchell (Wilkesboro, N.C.) to retake the lead at 46-40. For seven minutes, the Wildcats held the lead, but Georgia slowly chipped away.
Trailing 56-50, the Bulldogs used a 7-0 run finished off by yet another three-pointer from Chambers to take the one-point lead with 8:39 remaining in the game.
Sophomore Mercedes Robinson (Mansfield, Texas) gave Davidson its final lead of the contest on the next possession with two free throws.
Christy Marshall gave Georgia the lead for good, 61-58, at the 6:49 mark with back-to-back 10-foot jumpers on the Bulldogs next two touches and they would maintain at least a three-point lead the rest of the way to escape with a 74-68 win.
Pacing Davidson offensively was Hemerka and Paquette with 12 points apiece. Paquette was a force down in the paint against the taller Bulldog players, hitting a season-best 5-of-7 from the field and 2-for-2 from the charity stripe. She also hauled in four rebounds as the Wildcats were only out-rebounded by four, 38-34, despite Georgia having five players 6-1 or taller.
Redshirt junior Katie Hamilton (Lilburn, Ga.) and Washington were the other two 'Cats to get into double digits with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Davidson missed just one free throw all game, making 14 straight at one point, and finished 17-for-18. The Wildcats also hit a season-best nine three-pointers, which were the most in a game since Davidson hit nine against Greensboro College in December of 2005.
Besides Chambers' 25 points, Marshall and Megan Darrah each scored in double figures with 16 and 10 points each. Darrah finished with a double-double, pulling down 11 rebounds.
Davidson will next travel to Rock Hill, S.C. to take on the Winthrop Eagles on Wed., Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. After its trip to Winthrop, Davidson will play at the Klosterman Buckeye Classic on Nov. 25-26.
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