Davidson Battles to the End, Falls to Charlotte 72-60 in Second Round of WNIT

Sunday, March 24

Charlotte, N.C.

2:00 p.m.

Davidson College

22-13

Charlotte

26-5

Davidson

Charlotte

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Davidson Battles to the End, Falls to Charlotte 72-60 in Second Round of WNIT

3/24/2013 3:55:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

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Postgame Interview
Davidson Photos

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Davidson women's basketball team battled all the way to the end against its cross-county rival, but Charlotte pulled away with a 19-8 run in the final six minutes to capture a 72-60 victory in the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament Sunday afternoon at Halton Arena.

Davidson completed its outstanding season at 22-13, which included earning the program's first postseason win in the first round of the WNIT. Charlotte moved to 26-5 and advances to the third round of the WNIT to face the winner of the Florida/Winthrop contest.

Up 53-52, Charlotte broke free from Davidson by scoring 10 of the next 13 points during a five-minute stretch to give itself a 10-point lead with 1:10 remaining. Jennifer Hailey scored seven of those points for the 49ers on her way to a game-high 22 points.

A free throw by Sophia Aleksandravicius made it 65-56 with 59 ticks left, but the 49ers sealed up with the win by going 7-for-8 at the charity stripe in the last minute, while the Wildcats were unable to convert on offense, turning the ball over three times in the last 1:10.

Aleksandravicius capped off her amazing four-year Wildcat career with 18 points and five rebounds. The two-time SoCon Player of the Year finished her career setting seven all-time school records, including points (1,878), rebounds (1,143) and blocks (339).

Fellow senior Jasmine Calin had one of her best games of the season, scoring a season-high 12 points, nine of them coming in the first half. Hannah Early gave Davidson another spark off the bench scoring 13 points.

Senior Barbara Sitton had four points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals in her last game, while Katrin Chiemeka had two points on a pair of free throws.

Charlotte had three other players join Hailey in double figures. Hillary Sigmon and Jai Forney finished with 13 apiece, while Ny Hammonds scored 12 points and pulled in a game-high tying nine rebounds.

The 49ers shot 47.1 percent from the floor, including 50 percent in the second half, while Davidson was at 37.1 percent. Charlotte held a 43-31 edge on the boards, with both teams each pulling in 15 offensive rebounds.

The Wildcats erased a four-point halftime deficit with an 11-6 run, capped off by an and-one play from Aleksandravicius to start the second half and they had their second lead of the game at 38-37. Charlotte countered though by breaking up a 40-all tie a few minutes later with a quick six for a 46-40 advantage at 11:02 on the clock.

The 'Cats never backed down, getting another three-point play from Calin to make it 50-49 and then when the 49ers had pushed its lead to 53-49, Early struck for a deep trey on the left wing to make it 53-52 with 6:47 left in the game.

Davidson stayed close after the opening tip, getting a driving layup on the baseline by Sitton to make it 8-7. Two triples by Hillary Sigmon doubled the 'Cats up later though at 20-10 with 12:04 left in the first half.

Five straight points, including a three-point play from Calin, cut the deficit in half a few minutes later.

Then down 28-17 after a pair of Hailey free throws, part of her 13 first-half points, the 'Cats switched to a zone-defense and charged back with a 10-0 run. Sparking the run was six straight points from Early to get within one at 28-27 and under a minute to go. Charlotte took away a little of the momentum with the final three points to end the half up 31-27.

GAME NOTES: The 22 wins tied last year's total and are second-most in school history … Davidson dropped its fourth straight to Charlotte in the all-time series … This was the Wildcats' second straight appearance in the WNIT and third-ever postseason appearance in school history.