Wildcats Battle for 59-56 Overtime Win at UNCG

Wednesday, February 20

Greensboro, N.C.

7:00 p.m.

Davidson College

17-9, 14-2

UNCG

6-20, 3-14

OT 1

Davidson

UNCG

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Wildcats Battle for 59-56 Overtime Win at UNCG

2/20/2013 9:27:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Ashley Bailey

GREENSBORO, N.C. – A fastbreak layup by Sophia Aleksandravicius with 39 seconds to play tied things up in regulation, before the Davidson women's basketball team went a perfect 6-for-6 at the free-throw line in the extra minutes to earn a hard-fought 59-56 win over UNCG at Fleming Gymnasium Wednesday evening.

Aleksandravicius recorded her 14th double-double of the season with 16 points and a team-high 10 rebounds.Laura Murray also put up 16 points, including a pair at the charity stripe in overtime, while Barbara Sitton finished the night with 12 points and a game-high five assists.

Sitton also added six steals, helping the Wildcats put up 24 points off of 22 UNCG turnovers. Davidson totaled 16 steals on the night, shooting 31.3 percent from the floor and 78.9 percent at the charity stripe.

Davidson won its seventh straight SoCon road game, which ties the overall school-best road win streak with the 2006-07 team and is one away from tying the program's best streak in league games set from 2005-06 to 2006-07.

Janae Stevenson and Breonna Patterson led the Spartans with 12 points apiece. Sidnei Harmon led the rebounding effort with 14 boards, chipping in 10 points as well. Ebona Goins added 10 points as UNCG shot 35.0 percent from the field and 58.8 percent from the line. The Spartans out-rebounded the Wildcats, 49-42.

Patterson sunk an early jumper for the Spartans, then picked up a point at the line to put UNCG ahead 56-53. However, the Wildcats would not allow another Spartan point for the final three minutes of overtime. Aleksandravicius, Sitton and Murray each earned a trip to the charity stripe and were a perfect 6-for-6 to seal the 59-56 victory.

The Spartans took an early 4-0 lead off a pair of buckets from Lucy Mason, but the Wildcats would battle back to take a four-point advantage at 13-9 on a layup by Sarah Davis midway through the half. UNCG tied things up 14-14 soon thereafter, and the Wildcats would hit a 7-0 run to lead 20-14 on a three-point play from Aleksandravicius. The squads traded 3-pointers to end the half with the 'Cats on top 27-23.

UNCG came out on fire in the opening minutes of the second half, putting up eight straight points to take a 31-27 lead. Sitton broke the Spartan streak 2:30 into the half before a fastbreak lay up by Murray pushed the 'Cats in front once again, 32-31, just over three minutes in. The Spartans then went on a 7-0 streak midway through the half, putting the Wildcats in a six-point hole down 50-44.

Davidson held UNCG without a field goal for nearly seven minutes to take a one-point advantage on a free-throw by Dakota Dukes with just over two to play. A three-point play by Stevenson would be matched by Aleksandravicius' bucket in the closing minutes as the two teams tied things up 53-53 to head to overtime.

The Wildcats continue on with their four-game road swing, starting Saturday at 5 p.m. against Samford in Birmingham, Ala.

GAME NOTES: The Wildcats have won 11 of the last 14 meetings vs. the Spartans, including the last five straight … Aleksandravicius' 14 double-doubles are a career-high and she has 48 for her career … Davidson has won 26 of its last 29 SoCon games dating back to last January 2012 … the Wildcats improved to 8-6 on the road ... this was Davidson's first overtime game since a 78-77 extra period win at home against Samford, Jan. 9, 2010.