Wildcats Drop 68-61 Decision to Montana at Klosterman Buckeye Classic
11/25/2006 11:16:18 AM | Women's Basketball
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Mandy Morales led four Montana Lady Grizzlies in double figures with 15 points and the Davidson women's basketball team could not overcome 21 turnovers in falling 68-61 in its first game of the Klosterman Buckeye Classic at St. John Arena on Saturday, Nov. 25. Davidson fell to 3-2 on the year, while Montana remained undefeated at 3-0.
The first half was highlighted by the Sonya Rogers of Montana and redshirt junior Katie Hamilton (Lilburn, Ga.) show as both players provided much of the offensive firepower for their respective team.
After Davidson held a slight 6-3 lead to start the game, Montana proceeded to take its first big lead of the contest with a 17-2 run before junior Danielle Hemerka (Blackwood, N.J.) got the 'Cats back on the board at the 7:41 mark, and the Lady Grizzlies held a 20-10 lead. Rogers scored five points during the run and later would score the final eight Montana points to close out the half. She finished with 13 first-half points, but was held scoreless in the second half.
The Wildcats had their own scoring weapon in Hamilton, who helped Davidson claw its way back into the game in the first stanza. She scored nine of Davidson's last 19 points of the half, including the final five. Hamilton's second three-pointer of the half with five seconds remaining in the period, cut a 15-point Montana lead down to three, 32-29, going into halftime.
Hamilton ended the afternoon with a game-high 22 points on a season-best 8-of-17 shooting from the field with four shots coming from behind the arc. The junior also stuffed the stat sheet with six rebounds, three steals and her first block of the season.
Hamilton carried her offensive display on into the start of the second half all the way till Davidson took its first lead since the 15:37 mark of the first period. The shooting guard netted eight of the Wildcats' 13 points at the beginning of the new stanza and capped off Davidson's run at the start of the second half with another three-pointer from the right corner with 13:12 remaining to give the Wildcats a 42-41 lead.
The one-point lead would not last long and would be Davidson's final advantage of the game. Montana answered Hamilton's offensive outburst with one of its own as a team, scoring 18 of the next 25 points to take a 59-49 lead with 3:24 left in the game. Five different players scoring during the stretch, led by Mandy Morales' seven.
Hemerka cut the Lady Grizzlies lead down to three, 62-59, with a layup off a pass from senior Jessica Mitchell (Wilkesboro, N.C.) with 50 seconds on the clock. Hemerka was the Wildcats other player in double figures with 11 points and hauled in five rebounds.
Montana though, went 4-for-6 from the free throw line and got a fastbreak layup in the final 45 seconds of play to hold on for the 68-61 win over Davidson.
For the second straight game and fourth time overall, Davidson won the rebounding margin, 42-33. Seven players had three or more rebounds as senior Brynn Kelly (Spokane, Wash.) led the team with seven.
Assisting Morales and Rogers on the offensive side of the court for Montana was Tamara Guardipee and Laura Cote with 10 points each. The Wildcats did hold Montana's leading scorer, Johanna Closson, to only five points, which was 12 below her season average.
Davidson will wrap up the 2006 Klosterman Buckeye Classic on Sunday at 12 p.m. against the loser of the No. 6 Ohio State/Cornell game, which followed Davidson's game today.
The first half was highlighted by the Sonya Rogers of Montana and redshirt junior Katie Hamilton (Lilburn, Ga.) show as both players provided much of the offensive firepower for their respective team.
After Davidson held a slight 6-3 lead to start the game, Montana proceeded to take its first big lead of the contest with a 17-2 run before junior Danielle Hemerka (Blackwood, N.J.) got the 'Cats back on the board at the 7:41 mark, and the Lady Grizzlies held a 20-10 lead. Rogers scored five points during the run and later would score the final eight Montana points to close out the half. She finished with 13 first-half points, but was held scoreless in the second half.
The Wildcats had their own scoring weapon in Hamilton, who helped Davidson claw its way back into the game in the first stanza. She scored nine of Davidson's last 19 points of the half, including the final five. Hamilton's second three-pointer of the half with five seconds remaining in the period, cut a 15-point Montana lead down to three, 32-29, going into halftime.
Hamilton ended the afternoon with a game-high 22 points on a season-best 8-of-17 shooting from the field with four shots coming from behind the arc. The junior also stuffed the stat sheet with six rebounds, three steals and her first block of the season.
Hamilton carried her offensive display on into the start of the second half all the way till Davidson took its first lead since the 15:37 mark of the first period. The shooting guard netted eight of the Wildcats' 13 points at the beginning of the new stanza and capped off Davidson's run at the start of the second half with another three-pointer from the right corner with 13:12 remaining to give the Wildcats a 42-41 lead.
The one-point lead would not last long and would be Davidson's final advantage of the game. Montana answered Hamilton's offensive outburst with one of its own as a team, scoring 18 of the next 25 points to take a 59-49 lead with 3:24 left in the game. Five different players scoring during the stretch, led by Mandy Morales' seven.
Hemerka cut the Lady Grizzlies lead down to three, 62-59, with a layup off a pass from senior Jessica Mitchell (Wilkesboro, N.C.) with 50 seconds on the clock. Hemerka was the Wildcats other player in double figures with 11 points and hauled in five rebounds.
Montana though, went 4-for-6 from the free throw line and got a fastbreak layup in the final 45 seconds of play to hold on for the 68-61 win over Davidson.
For the second straight game and fourth time overall, Davidson won the rebounding margin, 42-33. Seven players had three or more rebounds as senior Brynn Kelly (Spokane, Wash.) led the team with seven.
Assisting Morales and Rogers on the offensive side of the court for Montana was Tamara Guardipee and Laura Cote with 10 points each. The Wildcats did hold Montana's leading scorer, Johanna Closson, to only five points, which was 12 below her season average.
Davidson will wrap up the 2006 Klosterman Buckeye Classic on Sunday at 12 p.m. against the loser of the No. 6 Ohio State/Cornell game, which followed Davidson's game today.
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