Wildcats Wrap Up Three-Game Homestand on Monday vs. Furman

Game Notes: #20 vs. Furman
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DAVIDSON, N.C. — Off since last Monday's 56-52 triumph over Chattanooga, Davidson looks to make it a winning homestand when they close out the three-game stay at John M. Belk Arena against Furman this coming Monday, Jan. 30.

The Opening Tip
Davidson (12-7, 8-2 SoCon) looks for the season-series sweep against the Furman Paladins (11-9, 7-4 SoCon) on Monday night at 7 p.m.

The Wildcats sit in a tie for second place in the league standings with Chattanooga, while Furman is tied with Samford for third place.

The All-Time Series/Last Meeting ...
... is 29-23 in favor of Furman. The Wildcats snapped their three-game skid in the series with a 61-50 road win in the first game of the series this year.

In that contest the Wildcats turned up the defensive intensity, holding the Paladins to 26.6 percent shooting and forcing 21 turnovers while turning those into 23 points on their way to picking up the road win at Timmons Arena. The dynamic scoring duo of Laura Murray and Sophia Aleksandravicius were at it again, scoring 20 and 15 points, respectively, to pace the Wildcat attack. The pair also combined for 15 rebounds.

Katrin Chiemeka iced the win with three free throws and finished with 10 points. All five starters scored all 61 points for Davidson, with Kristen Johnsen adding nine points and Barbara Sitton chipping in seven to go with her four assists and five rebounds.

Game Notes...
Davidson Halts 4-Game Skid vs. Chattanooga
The Wildcats have not faired the best against Chattanooga in the all-time series, but on Jan. 23 they got a little revenge when they snapped a four-game skid in taking home a 56-52 win. The Wildcats erased a two-point halftime deficit to win for just the second time in the last 26 meetings.

Sophia Aleksandravicius posted 15 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots. She went over the 200 career block mark with her third block of the game.

Laura Murray scored 13 points, all in the second half, and Barbara Sitton netted nine, all in the first frame. Sitton also collected eight rebounds and five assists.

With the score tied 35-35 midway through the second half, Murray hit two triples, and Katrin Chiemeka added another in an 11-3 run that opened a 46-38 lead with 8:01 to play. The Lady Mocs got to within three points twice, but would get no closer the rest of the game.

SoCon Double-Figure Streak Reaches 15 for Murray
Sophomore Laura Murray kept her streak of scoring in double figures during the regular season vs. Southern Conference foes intact when she dropped in 13 points, all in the second half, vs. Chattanooga, Jan. 23.

The shooting guard started the streak last year in Chattanooga and closed the year with five straight double-digit scoring games, including a 23-point effort vs. Georgia Southern. This year has seen her hit the 20-mark three times in games vs. Elon, at Furman and vs. Samford.

Double Figure Streak Reaches 12 For Aleksandravicius
Sophia Aleksandravicius saw her streak scoring 10 or more points reach 12 when she helped guide the Wildcats to a 56-52 home win vs. Samford, Jan. 23. She registered a double-double with 15 points to go with 10 rebounds and five blocks.

The streak started in December vs. Western Carolina when she went off for 20 points and nine rebounds to lead Davidson to a SoCon-opening win. During the stretch, the junior has had six double-doubles, including three straight at one time, and hit the 20-point mark twice.

The junior has scored in double digits in all but one game this year, a home contest against Winthrop in which she was held to eight points. As a sophomore last year, Aleksandravicius had a 13-game stretch of scoring in double figures with four games of 20-plus points.

Seeing Double Again
For the eight time this year and 27th time overall for her career, Sophia Aleksandravicius tallied a double-double as she picked up 15 points and 10 rebounds in a win vs. Chattanooga, Jan. 23.
Her double-double games this year:
•11/18 at Hight Point (22 pts/12 rbs)
•11/25 at Princeton (12 pts/10 rbs)
•12/22 at Radford (18 pts/11 rbs)
•1/4 vs. Elon (23 pts/10 rbs)
•1/9 at Wofford (10 pts/15 rbs)
•1/13 vs. W. Carolina (10 pts/12 rbs)
•1/15 at App. State (17 pts/20 rbs)
•1/23 vs. Chattanooga (15 pts/10 rbs)

350 Wins as a Program
Davidson reached the 350-win plateau as a program this year on Jan. 15 at Appalachian State. The Wildcats scored a 55-52 road win. Entering the program's 33rd year.

During that span, they have now had 18 seasons of 10 or more wins, including the last 10 straight years. The 2006-07 season saw the 'Cats win a program-best 23 games on their way to the program's first postseason experience in the women's basketball NIT.

Scouting the Wildcats
•Davidson won for the 10th time in the last 13 games when it knocked off first place Chattanooga last Monday, 56-52.
•The win was only the second, both coming at home, in the last 26 meetings vs. the Mocs.
•Laura Murray (team-best 15.0 ppg) scored all 13 of her points in the second half, including three key triples that helped Davidson grab the lead for good.
•Murray has scored in double digits in 15 straight SoCon games now.
•She has scored in double digits in 16 games overall this year, including six 20-point games.
•The sophomore is 17th in the nation in three-point shooting at 41.4 percent (41-99).
•Sophia Aleksandravicius continued her double-figure score with a double-double on 15 points and 10 rebounds. She has scored in double-digits in 12 straight games overall.
•She is fourth in the SoCon in scoring at 14.5 ppg and first in rebounding at 9.3 per game.
•The junior has earned double-doubles in six of the last nine games.
•She has eight double-doubles on the season and 27 for her career.
•Aleksandravicius is ninth in the nation in blocks per game, 3.0. She surpassed the 200-block mark for her career vs. UTC with five blocks. She has 28 of her 59 blocks at home this year.
•Barbara Sitton filled the stat-sheet vs. Chattanooga with nine points, eight rebounds (season-high) and five assists. The junior is third in the league in assists per game (4.5).
•The 'Cats' as a team are second in the SoCon in scoring (64.1) and field goal percentage (.415).
•Dating back to the last three games of last year, the Wildcats have won 10 of their last 13 SoCon games, with seven of the wins coming at home.
•Davidson is 8-1 at home and won 12 of its last 14 home contests dating back to last year.
•The 'Cats, picked fifth in the SoCon preseason poll, return four starters and nine letterwinners.
•Head coach Michele Savage enters her second year at Davidson (26-24, 16-14 SoCon).

Scouting the Paladins
•Furman fell to 7-4 in league play after a 78-63 loss at home to Appalachian State on Saturday.
•The Paladins were led by Brittany Hodges, who tallied 21 points and nine rebounds.
•Raegan Thompson paces the Paladin offense at 11.1 points per game. She was held to eight points last time out vs. Davidson.
•Furman shot just 26.6 percent in the last meeting vs. the Wildcats.
•Since last meeting Davidson, Jan. 7, Furman has gone 3-3 vs. its league foes.
•Last year at Davidson, Kaitlin Murphy (10.2 ppg) had a team-best 13 points in a 62-57 win.
•Furman ranks first in the SoCon in rebounds (42.6) a game and second in offenive boards, 15.7.
•The Paladins are 5-6 on the road, but 4-2 in league games.
•Furman returns just five letterwinners and was picked sixth in the?SoCon preseason poll.
•Head coach Jackie Carson is in her second year at Furman with a 25-25 mark.

A Look Ahead
Davidson hits the road for a pair, starting Feb. 4 at Coll. of Charleston for a 2 p.m. game.

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