Wildcats Bow Out of WNIT at UAB
8/27/2007 1:50:46 PM | Women's Basketball
Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Davidson women's basketball team's late second-half comeback in their first-ever postseason game fell four points short as the Wildcats dropped an 81-77 contest at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the first-round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament on Thursday evening. Davidson concluded one of the program's best seasons ever with a school-record mark of 23-9. UAB improved to 19-12 and will head to play Auburn, who received a first-round bye, on Sunday, Mar. 18.
Playing in their first-ever postseason game, the senior trio of Jessica Mitchell (Wilkesboro, N.C.), Brynn Kelly (Spokane, Wash.) and Tia Washington (Charlotte, N.C.) looked to give the Wildcats their first career postseason win. Mitchell did all she could to keep the Wildcats in it, draining a career-high 24 points by tying her career-best with nine field goals made and hit four of the Wildcats' 10 three-pointers. Three of her four three-balls came in the second half, including one with 14 seconds on the clock to bring the Wildcats within one, 78-77. She also matched her season-high with seven assists.
Kelly was the only other 'Cat in double figures as she registered her fourth career double-double on 12 points and 11 rebounds. Davidson as a team hauled in a game-high 46 boards to win the rebounding margin, 46-39. Washington, the Wildcats' floor general, scored two points before she was injured in the first four minutes of action and did not return.
Trailing by 11 (67-56) with 8:24 left in the game, Davidson started its rally with a three-pointer from Mitchell on the right wing. The shot sparked a 16-5 run over the next five and a half minutes that saw the Wildcats knot things up at 72-all on yet another three-pointer, this time from freshman Alex Thompson (Asheville, N.C.) on the left side. Junior Danielle Hemerka (Blackwood, N.J.) also canned back-to-back shots from downtown in the run and finished the contest with eight points, four boards and three assists.
A quick 5-0 run, three of the points coming from the Blazers' Diamond Rogers, gave UAB back the lead at 77-72 with just 36 seconds on the clock.
Davidson charged right back, getting a fade-away jumper by sophomore Kelly Gassie (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) and Mitchell's three-pointer that closed the gap to one (78-77). Rogers and Britney Jones sealed the Wildcats' hopes though, hitting three of four free throws in the closing seconds and Mitchell's last-second three-pointer was off target for the final score of 81-77.
The Wildcats did not get many calls their way all evening as the fouls were 20-11 and UAB stepped to the charity stripe 25 times (16-for-25) compared to Davidson's six trips (5-for-6).
Davidson used the hot hand of Mitchell in the first half to jump out to an early 11-10 advantage. Mitchell was perfect in the first half, draining all five of her shots from the field, including her only shot from downtown, and had two free throws for 13-first half points. The Wildcats as a team started the contest hitting eight of their first 12 shots, including two three-pointers. They finished the half nailing 15-of-29 shots from the floor for 51.7 percent and closed out the game shooting 44.9 percent.
UAB grabbed the lead back, 12-11, on the next possession on a layup from Shimena Moore and maintained at least a one-point lead all the way into halftime for a score of 39-36.
Sophomore Mercedes Robinson (Mansfield, Texas) assisted off the bench during the Wildcats' second-half comeback with all eight her points coming in the second period. She also hauled in nine rebounds and picked up one of Davidson's season-high five blocks.
The Blazers were led by a trio of scorers in double figures. Carmen Guzman, the Conference USA Player of the Year, had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Jones matched her with 20 as well. Rogers finished with 18 points, seven of the from the charity stripe, and had eight rebounds.
Playing in their first-ever postseason game, the senior trio of Jessica Mitchell (Wilkesboro, N.C.), Brynn Kelly (Spokane, Wash.) and Tia Washington (Charlotte, N.C.) looked to give the Wildcats their first career postseason win. Mitchell did all she could to keep the Wildcats in it, draining a career-high 24 points by tying her career-best with nine field goals made and hit four of the Wildcats' 10 three-pointers. Three of her four three-balls came in the second half, including one with 14 seconds on the clock to bring the Wildcats within one, 78-77. She also matched her season-high with seven assists.
Kelly was the only other 'Cat in double figures as she registered her fourth career double-double on 12 points and 11 rebounds. Davidson as a team hauled in a game-high 46 boards to win the rebounding margin, 46-39. Washington, the Wildcats' floor general, scored two points before she was injured in the first four minutes of action and did not return.
Trailing by 11 (67-56) with 8:24 left in the game, Davidson started its rally with a three-pointer from Mitchell on the right wing. The shot sparked a 16-5 run over the next five and a half minutes that saw the Wildcats knot things up at 72-all on yet another three-pointer, this time from freshman Alex Thompson (Asheville, N.C.) on the left side. Junior Danielle Hemerka (Blackwood, N.J.) also canned back-to-back shots from downtown in the run and finished the contest with eight points, four boards and three assists.
A quick 5-0 run, three of the points coming from the Blazers' Diamond Rogers, gave UAB back the lead at 77-72 with just 36 seconds on the clock.
Davidson charged right back, getting a fade-away jumper by sophomore Kelly Gassie (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) and Mitchell's three-pointer that closed the gap to one (78-77). Rogers and Britney Jones sealed the Wildcats' hopes though, hitting three of four free throws in the closing seconds and Mitchell's last-second three-pointer was off target for the final score of 81-77.
The Wildcats did not get many calls their way all evening as the fouls were 20-11 and UAB stepped to the charity stripe 25 times (16-for-25) compared to Davidson's six trips (5-for-6).
Davidson used the hot hand of Mitchell in the first half to jump out to an early 11-10 advantage. Mitchell was perfect in the first half, draining all five of her shots from the field, including her only shot from downtown, and had two free throws for 13-first half points. The Wildcats as a team started the contest hitting eight of their first 12 shots, including two three-pointers. They finished the half nailing 15-of-29 shots from the floor for 51.7 percent and closed out the game shooting 44.9 percent.
UAB grabbed the lead back, 12-11, on the next possession on a layup from Shimena Moore and maintained at least a one-point lead all the way into halftime for a score of 39-36.
Sophomore Mercedes Robinson (Mansfield, Texas) assisted off the bench during the Wildcats' second-half comeback with all eight her points coming in the second period. She also hauled in nine rebounds and picked up one of Davidson's season-high five blocks.
The Blazers were led by a trio of scorers in double figures. Carmen Guzman, the Conference USA Player of the Year, had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Jones matched her with 20 as well. Rogers finished with 18 points, seven of the from the charity stripe, and had eight rebounds.
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