'Cats Overcome Slow Start, Move to 3-0 in League Play

Sunday, December 14

Davidson, N.C.

2:00 p.m.

Davidson College

Western Carolina

Ashley Lax hit the double-figure mark in points for the seventh time this season with her career-best 20 points

'Cats Overcome Slow Start, Move to 3-0 in League Play

12/14/2008 5:43:49 PM | Women's Basketball

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

Box Score

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Junior Alex Thompson (Asheville, N.C.) and sophomore Ashley Lax (Stockbridge, Ga.) each tallied 20 points apiece, and senior Mercedes Robinson (Baltimore, Md.) picked up her fourth double-double of the year as Davidson overcame a slow start to begin the game in taking home an 84-66 decision over Western Carolina on Sunday afternoon in Southern Conference action.

Davidson started 3-0 in league play for the second time in the past three years, and moved its record to 4-6 overall. The Wildcats also halted their three-game skid vs. WCU as they picked up their 17th win in the all-time series. The Catamounts fell to 3-5 overall and 0-1 in SoCon play.

Thompson, Lax and Robinson each had a key part in helping the Wildcats overcome a 15-1 deficit through the first five minutes of the contest.

Down by 14, Davidson finally found its shot at the 13:10 mark on a Lax jumper and proceed to run off a 21-5 spurt, finished off by a short jumper in the lane by Lax that gave the Wildcats a 22-20 lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the game. Lax added a three-pointer during the run for seven of her career-high 20 points.

The sophomore finished 7-of-15 from the field with a couple of three-balls to go along with four of the Wildcats' season-best 31 free throws. Six players in all swished home at least four free throws and Davidson as a team went 31-for-38 from the line, the most made free throws since it set a school record at Wofford on Feb. 23, 2008 with 34.

Thompson took care of the rest of the scoring in the first half when she went off for 15 of her 20 points, including draining 3-of-4 shots from downtown as the Wildcats went into halftime with a 40-30 advantage. The junior added six assists and three steals to help the Wildcats to 17 assists and a season-high 15 steals as a team.

The second half was all Davidson thanks to a 52.2 percent shooting performance in the half and the offensive display put on by Robinson. After WCU cut the 'Cats lead to 46-40 at the 15:52 mark, Robinson responded with a trey from the left corner and the Wildcats went onto score 18 of the next 23 points to open up a 64-45 lead with 8:02 remaining.

Robinson started and ended the run, while scoring nine of the 'Cats 18 points, and went on to record 14 of her 19 points in the half as Davidson cruised to the 84-66 league win.

Davidson finished the game shooting 46.9 percent and shot 7-of-17 from behind the arc, marking the fifth straight contest they have drained at least seven or more treys in a contest.

The 'Cats offense wasn't the only thing on display this afternoon, their defense held the Catamounts to 34.9 percent shooting, including just 5-of-20 from behind arc, and forced 21 turnovers. They turned those 21 turnovers into 31 points.

Western placed one player in double figures as Brooke Johnson registered a game-high 26 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including 3-of-6 from behind the arc and 7-for-9 from the charity stripe.

Davidson wraps up its non-conference slate of games when it travels to Xavier and Cincinnati next Friday and Sunday, Dec. 19-21.