‘Cats Open New Year In Winning Style, 69-40

Monday, January 3

Davidson, N.C

7:00 p.m.

Davidson College

College of Charleston

Shneeka Center earned her first career start on Monday vs. CofC.

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

‘Cats Open New Year In Winning Style, 69-40

1/3/2011 10:29:16 PM | Women's Basketball

Gavin McFarlin -- Assistant SID

DAVIDSON, N.C. — Four Wildcats clipped the double-digit mark in points, led by Sophia Aleksandravicius' (Pound Ridge, N.Y.) 16, and Davidson as a team held College of Charleston to 26.4 percent shooting in cruising to a 69-40 Southern Conference win in women's basketball on Monday evening at John M. Belk Arena.

The win was Davidson's largest in the all-time series as the Wildcats improved to 5-6 overall and 1-2 in the SoCon. College of Charleston fell to 4-9 overall and 1-3 in league play.

Joining Aleksandravicius in double figures was Shneeka Center (Smithtown, N.Y.) with 12 points, Laura Murray (Harrisburg, Pa.) with 11 and Jasmine Calin (Miami, Fla.) with 10. Both Center's and Calin's point totals were career highs.

The Cougars placed one in double digits as Tonia Gerty hit for 11 points, but had eight of the team's 33 turnovers. The 'Cats turned those turnovers into 30 points and pocketed a season-best 16 steals.

It was all Davidson from the start after Kristen Johnsen (Wayne, Pa.) – seven points, nine boards – gave the 'Cats an early 8-0 lead on a layup, CofC was forced to burn a timeout.

Then led by Center, Davidson rattled off a 16-3 run about halfway through the period that would later push the advantage out to 18 (29-11) with 2:46 remaining. Center scored six of her 11 first-half points during the spurt. The freshman, who made her first career start, hit season bests in points, rebounds (9), assists (2) and steals (2) in 29 minutes.

A pair of free throws by Murray, who had 11 first-half points with Center, in the last 13 seconds gave the 'Cats a commanding 35-13 halftime lead that they would not give back in the second half.

Aleksandravicius opened the second half with six straight Wildcat points to push the lead out the 24 (41-17) with 14:11 on the clock.

The lead grew to 26 on a Calin jumper at 6:34 and she would put a stamp on the Wildcats outstanding evening with a fastbreak bucket for a 69-38 advantage to close out the scoring for the 'Cats. Calin was very productive, scoring 10 points, hauling in four boards and pocketing a personal-best tying three steals in just nine minute of action.

Davidson had its second 40-rebound game, hauling in a season-high 48, 20 of which came on the offensive end and were turned into 19 second-chance points.

Overall, eight of the nine Wildcats who suited up and entered the game, put their names in the scorer's book as they earned their largest win of the season.

Davidson, which starts a stretch of playing four games in an eight-day span, now its the road for a 7 p.m. contest at Western Carolina on Wednesday, Jan. 5.

GAME NOTES: Davidson improved to 22-8 all-time vs. the Cougars and are 12-2 at home in th series ... the 20 offensive boards in the most for the 'Cats since they opened the 2008-09 season with 21 at Winthrop ... tonight's league win was first-year head coach Michele Savage's first of her career ... the Wildcats had their seventh straight 10-assist game, dishing out 15 with Barbara Sitton (Richmond, Va.) and Laura Murray each passing out five apiece ... Murray's five dimes matched her season-high, while Sitton has now passed out 33 in the last five games ... the 13 first-half points given up by Davidson was the least amount since holding High Point to 13 on Dec. 15, 2007.