Long Dry Spell Hurts ‘Cats in 58-47 Defeat at Samford

Monday, February 14

Birmingham, AL

8:00 p.m.

Davidson College

11-15,6-11SoCon

Samford

20-7, 13-5SoCon

Davidson

Samford

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Long Dry Spell Hurts ‘Cats in 58-47 Defeat at Samford

2/14/2011 10:35:10 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Gavin McFarlin -- Assistant SID

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Sophomore Sophia Aleksandravicius (Pound Ridge, N.Y.) recorded her sixth double-double of the year with 13 points and 13 rebounds, but Davidson scored just six points over an 11-minute stretch in the second half and never recovered, dropping a 58-47 road decision at Samford on Monday evening at the Pete Hanna Center in Southern Conference women's basketball action.

Davidson (11-15, 6-11 SoCon) closed out its last regular season road game with its fourth straight defeat and split its season-series with the Bulldogs, who ran their record to 20-7 overall and 13-5 in league play.

After getting a bucket inside from Kristen Johnsen (Wayne, Pa.) with 12:51 remaining in the second half, the Wildcats would score just six more points, four of them coming at the free throw line, up until the 1:34 mark. They shot just 1-of-16 from the field during that span. and shot just 28.1 percent in the whole second half (9-32).

Samford, would shot only 30.4 percent in the second half, took advantage of the Wildcats' ice-cold shooting, building off its 29-24 halftime lead, pushing its advantage out to a 11 points twice in the second half.

Aleksandravicius registered her 17th career double-double despite shooting just 3-of-12 from the floor, getting seven of her 13 points at the charity stripe. She scored the first seven Wildcat points to open the game.

The forward also moved closer setting the school's all-time blocks record, getting three to give her 132, one away from tying the record.

Freshman Laura Murray (Harrisburg, Pa.) also reached double figures for the 'Cats with 12 points.

Samford's Emily London led all scorers with 19 points, while Savannah Hill added 16 points.

The Wildcats only lead of the game came in the first period when Ashley Lax (Little Rock, Ark.) canned a three-ball with 7:54 on the clock for an 18-17 lead.

The Bulldogs', who shot 52.2 percent in the first half (12-23), then got on a roll with Hill scoring their last nine points of the half to give her 13 and Samford held a five-point edge after one period.

Samford sealed the win by hitting 10 of its final 13 free throws in the final two minutes of the game. It was an uncharacteristic night for the Bulldogs at the line as they were just 13-for-23. They came into the game tops in the league (.974) and one of the top-10 teams in the nation in free throw percentage.

Davidson return home to finish out the regular season with a three-game homestand. The 'Cats start with a 2 p.m. contest against Georgia Southern on Saturday, Feb. 19. The game is also part of the National Girls and Women in Sports Day hosted by Davidson Athletics.

GAME NOTE: Aleksandravicius' has 19 career 10-rebound games … she has tallied three double-doubles in the three of the last four games ... The 'Cats finished up a stretch where they played seven games in 15 days … the Wildcats also finished out a run of playing eight of 10 games on the road from Jan. 22 to Feb. 14 ... Davidson outscored Samford in the paint, holding a 28-20 edge ... Murray's double-figure game was her 15th this year.