‘Cats Fall on Buzzer-Beater By Chattanooga, 54-51

Friday, January 14

Davidson, N.C.

7:00 p.m.

Davidson College

5-9, 1-5SoCon

Chattanooga

8-9, 5-3SoCon

Chattanooga

Davidson

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

‘Cats Fall on Buzzer-Beater By Chattanooga, 54-51

1/14/2011 10:08:56 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Gavin McFarlin -- Assistant SID

DAVIDSON, N.C. — With less than a second left on the game clock, Chattanooga's Bailey Dewart buried a game-winning three-pointer to send the Mocs to a 54-51 win and Davidson fell in another close Southern Conference women's basketball contest at home on Friday night at John M. Belk Arena.

It was the 'Cats third defeat in league play by three points or less as they fell to 1-5 in the SoCon and 5-9 overall. Davidson earlier this season fell at Elon, 61-60, and then to UNCG at home, 59-58.

Chattanooga, winners of five of its last six games, improved to 8-9 overall and 5-3 in league play.

With just six ticks left, Chattanooga called a timeout to set up its last play. Out of the timeout, the Mocs got the ball to Kayla Christopher, who dribbled to the right wing and drew a double-team and dumped the ball off to Bailey Dewart at the top of the circle. From there, she dribbled once at the top of the key, stopped and fired a shot off just outside the arc that fell through at the buzzer to give the Mocs the three-point win.

Davidson had a chance with 41 seconds left to grab the lead as both teams were tied at 51-all after the Mocs hit a jumper to knot things up on their previous possession. The Wildcats worked the ball inside to Sophia Aleksandravicius (Pound Ridge, N.Y.), but her turn-around jumper fell short allowing the Mocs one last chance.

Aleksandravicius poured in 16 points and hauled in eight boards, to go along with three blocks and three steals. Freshman Laura Murray (Harrisburg, Pa.) also clipped the double-digit mark with a game-high tying 17 points, her seventh double-figure game of the season.

Murray scored 10 of those points in the first half with all of them coming in the first five and half minutes when she guided the 'Cats to an early 20-8 lead. She canned a pair of three pointers, Davidson's only shots made from behind the arc, and two jumpers in the early going.

Chattanooga's Whitney Hood had a team-high 17 points, while Kiara Smith came off the bench for nine points, all on three-pointers. The 'Cats did hold the Mocs to just 8-of-25 shooting from behind the arc.

Down 49-45 with 5:51 left, the 'Cats chipped away and regained the lead (50-49) after a driving layup from Jasmine Calin (Miami, Fla.) and another bucket inside from Aleksandravicius a few minute later.

The first half was a tale of two runs. Davidson came out firing on all cylinders, canning seven of its first eight shots to grab the 20-8 lead at the 10:45 mark. But a cold streak by the Wildcats allowed the Mocs to get right back in it. Chattanooga rattled off a 16-5 run over the next nine minutes to cut the lead down to one, 25-24, before Barbara Sitton (Richmond, Va.) closed the half with a short jumper to give Davidson a 27-24 lead heading into halftime.

Sitton and Chloe Woodington (San Antonio, Texas) combined for nine of the Wildcats' 12 assists. Woodington's five assist on the night matched her career-high as she also added three points, three boards and a steal.

Davidson turns around and will host Samford on Sunday at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs were tied for first in the SoCon entering tonight's play at Appalachian State.

GAME NOTES: Aleksandravicius' 16-point and 8-rebound performance was the third time in the last four games she's had those identical numbers ... it also marks the ninth time this year the sophomore has tallied at least eight boards in a contest ... Davidson has dropped 22 of the last 23 meetings vs. the Mocs ... for the eighth time this year, Davidson out-rebounded the opposition, holding a 36-35 edge tonight ... seven of the eight 'Cats that played etched their name's in the scorer's book.