‘Cats Nearly Pull Off Big Comeback vs. NIU, Fall 64-61

Saturday, November 17

Morehead, Ky.

7:30 p.m.

Davidson College

1-1

vs. Northern Illinois

0-2

Northern Illinois

Davidson

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

‘Cats Nearly Pull Off Big Comeback vs. NIU, Fall 64-61

11/17/2012 10:39:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

Find Your Favorite Wildcat Action Shot at DavidsonPhotos.com

MOREHEAD, Ky. – Davidson nearly came all the way back from an 18-point deficit with a little over seven minutes left in the game, but in the end, ran out of time and Northern Illinois escaped with a 64-61 victory in the second round of the consolation side of the women's basketball preseason NIT Saturday evening in Johnson Arena on the campus of Morehead State.

The Wildcats (0-2) trailed 52-36 with 7:38 remaining when they used a fierce full-court press and found their shooting touch to start the comeback. A Sophia Aleksandravicius (pound Ridge, N.Y.) free throw capped off a 14-4 run to cut the deficit to 56-50 with 4:53 left.

Then after NIU scored the next two buckets, Davidson charged back again starting with a Dakota Dukes' (Raleigh, N.C.) and-one play that sparked an 11-2 spurt to make it 62-61 with just 1:04 left. Katrin Chiemeka (Marienthal, France), who canned a trey in the run, drained two free throws to make it a one-point game.

After a couple of missed chances by NIU to push out the lead, Davidson had one last chance for the win. Out of a timeout with 27 ticks remaining, the 'Cats moved the ball around the arc and Chiemeka saw an opening, driving in, but was unable to convert as she turned the ball over with eight seconds on the clock. The Huskies ran the clock down to one second before they were fouled, hitting a pair of free throws for the final score of 64-61.

Aleksandravicius finished with her first double-double of the season, getting game highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds. Dukes reached double figures in just her second collegiate game with a season-best 14 points, while Chiemeka and Laura Murray had eight apiece.

Three Huskies (1-1) reached double digits, led by Amanda Corral and Natecia Augusta's 16 points each. Jenna Thorp had 10 points to go with seven boards. She gave NIU a commanding 47-31 lead on a pair of three-point plays before Davidson made its move on a comeback.

Northern Illinois used its hot-shooting hand to carry it to a 35-22 halftime lead. The Huskies hit 15-of-27 shots, with point guard Corral going 5-for-7 from the field for 12 points, while also hauling in eight rebounds alone in the first half. Davidson hit just six of its first 24 attempts for a 25 percent rate.

Sarah Davis had given Davidson a brief 12-11 lead with three straight free throws, her last one coming at the 12:07 mark.

From there it was all NIU as it grabbed a 19-14 advantage with 7:25 to go in the half. Murray swished home a couple free throws later to cut the lead down to six, 26-20, but a three-ball by the Huskies' Satavia Taylor started a 9-2 run to close out the half for the 13-point lead.

The Huskies finished the game shooting 55.6 percent and out-boarded the Wildcats, 34-32. Davidson did haul in 12 offensive boards and got 14 points off second chances.

Davidson finishes out the preseason Women's NIT with its last consolation game, a 7 p.m. contest against Kennesaw State on Sunday in Morehead, Ky. The Owls lost a one-point affair to host Morehead State in the first game of the night.

GAME NOTES: This was the first meeting between both schools … The 'Cats regrouped to shot 41.4 percent in the second half … Davidson is 0-4 all-time in the preseason WNIT … Aleksandravicius, who has 31 career double-doubles, needs 183 more points and 57 more rebounds to be the program's all-time leader in both categories.