Outside Shooting, Big Run Gives 'Cats 67-57 Win at Virginia

Calendar

No Upcoming Events

Box Score (html)
DavidsonPhotos.com

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Junior Hannah Early scored a season-high 24 points and teamed with senior Lillian McCabe to hit 10 of Davidson's season-best 11 three-pointers in guiding the Wildcats to a big 67-57 win over Virginia on the first day of the Holiday Inn University Area Cavalier Classic in John Paul Jones Arena Sunday afternoon.

Early canned a career-high six shots from long distance and her 13 attempts set a new program single-game record, while McCabe matched her personal-best with four three-balls on her way to 12 points as Davidson finished 11-for-23 from downtown.

The win halted the Wildcats' (4-8) six-game skid and was their first over the Cavaliers, who saw their four-game win streak come to an end in falling to 9-3 on the season. It was also UVa's first defeat at home on the year.

Saadia Timpton gave Davidson a third player in double figures in the scoring column with 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting.

Virginia's Sarah Imovbioh paced the Cavaliers with 21 points and 19 rebounds, 12 of them on the offensive end. Season-leading scorer Faith Randolph netted 15 points, but was just 4-of-19 from the floor.

In addition to their hot shooting from outside, the 'Cats used a huge run to take command of the game. They rattled off a 19-0 spurt that spanned from the end of the first half into the beginning of the second half to turn a 34-20 deficit into a 39-34 lead with 15:57 on the clock in the second period.

The scoring outburst reached all the way to 29-4 after a pair of long range three-pointers by McCabe to make it 49-38. A few minutes later, another back-to-back showing from long distance, this time by Early, gave the Wildcats its biggest lead at 59-40 with 6:25 left.

Davidson finished the game shooting 45.5 percent, including 50 percent in the second half, while holding Virginia to just 31.3 percent for the game. The Cavaliers hit just 7-of-31 shots in the second half.

Davidson and Virginia played to an even 11-all tie to open the game. Back-to-back triples by Early and Mackenzie Latt helped tie things up. The Wildcats went on to got 6-for-11 from behind the arc in the first half.

A 16-4 run though by the Cavaliers over the next several minutes gave them a 27-15 lead, before another Early trey and a put-back layup by Mellissa Giegerich halted the run.

A mini 7-0 spurt by Virginia gave it a 34-20 advantage, but Davidson did not back down, using its own run to get back in the game. The Wildcats' defense held UVa scoreless over the last 4:30 of the first half and rattled off a 10-0 run to make it 34-30 at the break. Early hit her fourth shot from downtown during the run and Alexandra Long capped it off with the final four points.

Davidson wraps up the Cavalier Classic tomorrow against Miami (Ohio) with a 4:30 p.m. tip off.

GAME NOTES: Besides her season-high 24 points, Early also filled the box score with nine rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks … Early pushed her career game total of scoring in double figures to 40 and has reached the double-digit mark in all 12 games this year … The last time Davidson hit 10 or more three-pointers in a game was last year at Samford, Feb. 3, 2014 ... Long matched her season-high with a team-best six assists … it is the second year in a row Davidson has taken down an ACC school, defeating Clemson last year to start the season … Davidson improved to 27-35 at in-season tournaments since 1992-93 ... the Wildcats scored a season-high 22 points off Virginia's 15 turnovers ... four different Wildcats had held the single game three-point attempts mark of 12, with the most recent player reaching it in 2012.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results