Dukes Tallies Double-Double, ‘Cats Drop A-10 Game at VCU

Thursday, January 15

Richmond, Va.

7:00 p.m.

Davidson College

4-13, 0-4

VCU

12-5, 3-1

Davidson

VCU

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Dukes Tallies Double-Double, ‘Cats Drop A-10 Game at VCU

1/15/2015 11:38:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

Box Score (pdf)
DavidsonPhotos.com

RICHMOND, Va. — Dakota Dukes recorded her 10th career double-double, but it was not enough as Davidson battled to the end before falling at VCU, 62-53, Thursday night in Atlantic 10 women's basketball action at the Verizon Wireless Arena in the Siegel Center.

The game featured seven ties and eight lead changes, but the final lead change was the difference as the Rams (12-5, 3-1 A-10) erased a four-point Wildcat advantage by using a 12-2 run to grab a 48-42 lead and the 'Cats were never able to recover.

Dukes finished with 12 points and a career-high 14 rebounds to pace Davidson (4-13, 0-4), while Hannah Early netted a game-high 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including a 5-for-9 showing from three-land. The junior is now just 96 points away from 1,000 for her career.

VCU's Adaeze Alaeze scored 17 points, including 11 in the second half. Isis Thorpe had nine points and eight rebounds, while Chadarrly Clay added nine off the bench.

Davidson grabbed a 40-36 lead with 14:12 on the clock after Mackenzie Latt hit a pair of buckets to break up a 36-all tie. The freshman finished with eight points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.

The offense then went cold and was held to just a Diona Johnson layup over the next nine and a half minutes allowing VCU to retake the lead on their 12-2 run.

Davidson stayed within six points in the final two minutes, getting the deficit down to five at 56-51 with under a minute to go on another Johnson layup. VCU countered though, hitting 10-of-16 free throws in that final two minutes to hold off the 'Cats.

The first half saw Davidson hold a 28-26 lead at the break thanks to Early's and Dukes' scoring outputs. The duo combined for 23 of the points on 10-of-17 shooting.

Early drained three shots from downtown on her way to 10 of her 13 first-half points in the first 10 minutes as the 'Cats raced out to a 16-10 lead. Dukes took over in the last five minutes and scored the final six Wildcat points to give her 10 for the half.

The Wildcats stay on the road and travel to play Saint Louis this coming Sunday, Jan. 18, at 2 p.m.

GAME NOTES: Tonight's game was the first between both schools … Davidson registered its 15th game with 10 or more offensive rebounds … Early has scored in double figures in 16 of the 17 games this year and 44 times overall for her career … Dukes recorded nine double-doubles a year ago … Davidson has had a player record a double-double in three of the past four games …. VCU took advantage of Davidson's 14 turnovers, turning them into 21 points … the 'Cats assisted on a game-high 19 of their 22 made field goals, led by Alexandra Long's game-high five dimes.