‘Cats Drop Tough Game at Home vs. UMass, 66-62

Sunday, February 21

Davidson, N.C.

2:00 p.m.

Davidson College Athletics

11-16, 5-9 A-10

Massachusetts (MI-Connection)

9-17, 3-11 A-10

Massachusetts

Davidson

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

‘Cats Drop Tough Game at Home vs. UMass, 66-62

2/21/2016 4:57:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

Box Score (pdf)
Game Highlights
Postgame Interview- Coach Savage
DavidsonPhotos.com

DAVIDSON, N.C. — In a game that went down to the last few seconds and featured eight ties and nine lead changes, Davidson came up short in a battle with Massachusetts, 66-62, at John M. Belk Arena Sunday afternoon in Atlantic 10 women's basketball action.

Leading 62-61 with 34 seconds left, Davidson saw Bria Stallworth hit a three-pointer at the top of the key as the shot clock was winding down to give UMass a 64-62 lead. It was only the Minutewomen's second three in the game.

After a quick timeout by the 'Cats, Hannah Early tried to match Stallworth's three with one of her own and just 18 seconds left, but her attempt from the left wing hit the front of the rim and the rebound went to UMass.

Cierra Dillard sealed up the game with two free throws for UMass (9-17, 3-11 A-10) to finish with a game-high 23 points off the bench.

Alyssa Lawrence scored 13 as well off the bench and Rashida Timbilla added 12 points and nine rebounds to go with six steals.

Davidson (11-16, 5-9 A-10) put a pair of players in double digits, led by senior Dakota Dukes' double-double on 17 points and 11 rebounds. She hit a career-high 13 free throws, while her 16 attempts matched a personal-best and tied a single-game school record.

The double-double was Dukes' team-leading seventh of the season and gave her 17 for her career.

Sophomore Mackenzie Latt hit 6-of-12 shots for 12 points, while Early had five points, a season-high tying four assists, seven rebounds and two steals. Justine Lyon came off the bench for nine points, two assists and two steals.

The Wildcats shook off a rough shooting outing in first two quarters to get back in the game in the third quarter. After combining to hit just 8-of-31 shots and trailing 34-23 at the break, the 'Cats came out of the locker room and used a 14-3 run to tie and then take the lead at 37-36 on two Dukes' free throws with 4:09 left in the quarter.

The game would be tied two more times at 38 and 42 before UMass scored six of the last eight points to take a 48-45 lead.

A Lyon layup and a Latt jumper tied it up again in the early goings of the fourth quarter at 49-all. From there it went back and forth, with Davidson holding a three-point lead twice at 58-55 on another Latt jumper and then 62-59 when Lyon swished home a five-foot shot with 3:07 left in regulation.

Davidson finished the game shooting 36.8 percent and netted 18-of-23 free throws, while dishing out 14 assists. It was the 13th straight game the Wildcats recorded double digits in assists. UMass hit 49.2 percent of its shots and won the battle on the glass, 36-34.

An A-10 mid-week matchup at Saint Joseph's, Feb. 24, is next for the Wildcats. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

GAME NOTES: This was just the second meeting all-time between the two schools … UMass' bench scored 39 points to Davidson's 19 … Latt has scored in double figures in 30 of her last 35 games … she recorded her 23rd double-figure scoring game of the season, while Dukes earned her 18th and 62nd of her career … Dukes moved into seventh all-time in scoring and fifth in rebounding.