Washington Sparks 15-Point Second Half Come Back in a 72-63 Wildcat Win
1/31/2007 12:31:26 PM | Women's Basketball
Sports Information - Gavin McFarlin
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Davidson erased a 15-point halftime deficit with a 19-2 run to start the second half and Tia Washington (Charlotte, N.C.) set a new career-high with 19 points to lead the Wildcats to a come-from-behind 72-63 victory over College of Charleston in Southern Conference women's basketball action Wednesday evening at Belk Arena. With the win, the Wildcats improved to 18-4 overall and 9-2 in league competition, while the Cougars fell to 5-6 in league play and 10-12 on the campaign.
Davidson ran its win streak against College of Charleston to 11 straight as the Wildcats improved to 12-1 during head coach Annette Watts' six-year tenure. The win was also the biggest come-from-behind deficit after one half since the 'Cats were down by nine (37-26) at Elon on Jan. 17, 2004 and Davidson ended up winning, 64-62.
Washington hit a season-best seven field goals in 11 tries and canned 5-of-6 free throws for her game-high 19 points. She netted 15 of those 19 points in the second half, including nine of the Wildcats' final 13 points of the game. The senior point guard added a game-high six assists in helping Davidson push its consecutive streak of dishing out at least 10 assists in a game to 40 straight.
The Wildcats' freshman Julia Paquette (Stockbridge, Ga.) capped off the 19-2 difference-making spurt with back-to-back layups to tie the affair and then give Davidson its first lead (44-42) since the opening minutes of the contest with 12:31 remaining in the game. Paquette was big down low for Davidson, getting six of her eight points during the run and finishing with three rebounds in 20 minutes of action off the bench. Davidson as a squad worked the paint well, getting 44 of their 72 points down on the blocks.
Davidson forced the Cougars into 17 second-half turnovers and held the visitors to just one field goal during the first 12:46 of action in the final period. The 'Cats continued to take advantage of the Cougars' scoring woes as they stretched the margin to 57-48 on a Washington bucket with 5:44 to play.
Washington and senior Jessica Mitchell (Wilkesboro, N.C.) then combined to seal the victory by nailing nine free throws in 12 tries in the final 2:31 for the win.
Both teams torched the nets in the first eight minutes of action to start the game, but the Cougars were the only ones to continue their hot-shooting as they finished the first half at 64.0 percent (16-25) from the floor. To go along with its offensive production, College of Charleston turned 10 Wildcat miscues into 13 points.
After trading buckets to find themselves tied 14-14, College of Charleston outscored the Wildcats 26-11 over the remaining 12:06 of the first stanza to lead 40-25 at the break. Junior
Danielle Hemerka (Blackwood, N.J.) did her best in keeping the Wildcats afloat with nine first half points on 4-of-6 shooting and adding one free throw. She then helped lead the second-half charge by going for eight early points in the second stanza and finished second behind Washington with 17. She also pulled down a team-best six boards, the eighth time she has paced the team in that category, as Davidson won the rebounding margin by one, 26-25.
Davidson finished the contest shooting an even 50 percent after draining 56.7 percent of their shots in the second half. It marked the sixth time this year the Wildcats finished a game shooting 50 percent or better from the floor.
The Cougars, despite shooting 42.1 percent in the second half, finished the contest over 50 percent as well at a 54.5 percent clip. Jade Hughes and Jill Furstenburg paced the Cougar attack with 16 and 15 points, respectively, each canning six field goals and one three-pointer.
Davidson will conclude its brief homestand with a 6 p.m. contest against SoCon foe Western Carolina Saturday. The Cougars return to action Feb. 3 when they entertain Wofford at 2 p.m.
