Davidson Falls Just Short vs. Charlotte, 72-64, Despite Three Reaching Double Digits

Tuesday, December 9

Davidson, N.C.

7:00 p.m.

Davidson College

Charlotte

Photo by: Sideline Sports

Davidson Falls Just Short vs. Charlotte, 72-64, Despite Three Reaching Double Digits

12/9/2008 10:30:09 PM | Women's Basketball

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

Box Score

DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Davidson placed at least three players in double figures for the fourth time in the past five games, but Charlotte countered with five players in double digits, including Danielle Burgin who scored nine of the 49ers' last 16 points in guiding Charlotte to a 72-64 win over the Wildcats on Tuesday evening at John M. Belk Arena in the cross-county rivalry.

Davidson saw its two-game winning streak come to an end, falling to 3-6 overall in the non-conference tilt. Charlotte picked up its fourth straight victory, and sixth in the past seven games, to run its record to 7-2. The 49ers now lead the all-time series 11-10, having won five of the past six meetings.

Burgin finished with 11 points, nine of them coming in a 16-2 game-clinching run in the last four minutes when Charlotte turned a 59-56 Wildcat lead into a 72-61 49er advantage with just 24 second left in the contest.

The 6-5 post player was one of four Charlotte starters to hit double digits, led by Traci Ray's 17 points, 15 of them coming from behind the arc. The 49ers hit 7-of-12 from three-land, including five in the first half when they took a 33-25 lead at halftime.

Davidson was led by senior Mercedes Robinson's 14 points and seven rebounds, followed by junior Alex Thompson and Ashley Lax with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Thompson, fresh off Southern Conference Player of the Week honors after dropping in a school-and league-record nine three-pointers on her way to a school-record tying 35 points at Appalachian State, continued her hot streak from downtown by canning 4-of-9 shots from behind the arc.

Trailing 52-42 with 10:22 left in the game, freshman Amanda Ottaway started a 17-4 run with a put-back on an offensive rebound, and Lax and Thompson capped it off with back-to-back shots from three-point range to give Davidson its first lead of the game at 59-56 with 4:08 on the clock.

Charlotte responded though, by feeding Burgin in the lane on five of its next seven possessions as she helped carry the 49ers to the eight-point win with her nine points to close out the game.

Ray lead the way for Charlotte in the first half, draining two of her four first-half three-pointers through the first 10 minutes as Charlotte doubled up the 'Cats at 12-6.

Another three-ball, this time from Aysha Jones, pushed the 49er advantage out to 24-12 with 5:04 left in the half.

Ottaway kept the Wildcats close by draining a three-pointer and later hitting a layup on her way to seven points in the half as Davidson went into halftime down eight. Ottaway came off the bench for a season-high nine points and led Davidson with a personal-best eight rebounds in guiding the 'Cats to a 46-39 edge on the glass. Of their 46 total rebounds, 16 of the Wildcats boards came on the offensive end as they got 15 second chance points.

Despite hitting just 27.8 percent of its shots in the first stanza, Davidson finished the game shooting 36.1 percent from the field thanks to a 44.4 percent shooting performance in second half. Eight of Davidson's 26 field goals came from behind the arc as it finished 8-for-20, marking the fourth straight game the Wildcats have swished home at least seven three-pointers in a game.

Charlotte's Jones and Floyd rounded out the four starters who scored in double figures with 15 and 10 points, respectively, while Shannon McCallum came off the bench to tie Ray with a game-high 17 points, 10 of them coming in the first half.

Davidson stays at home as it returns to league play, hosting Western Carolina on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m.

Game Notes: Davidson picked up 35 points in the paint ... The Wildcats saw their home winning streak halted at seven, the second longest in school history ... In the past three games, Thompson is now shooting 57.7 percent from downtown, hitting all but three of her 18 total field goals during that time from behind the three-line ... Robinson has scored in double figures in seven of the Wildcats' nine games.