University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Furman
Women's Basketball Rolls Past Furman 86-75
12.11.2010 | Women's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Lindsey Montgomery and Kelli Riles each recorded double-doubles as UNC Asheville roared past Furman 86-75 in women's college basketball action at Justice Center Saturday afternoon.
Montgomery scored 25 points and collected 10 rebounds, while Riles added a career-best 21 points with 15 rebounds.
Furman was led by Raegan Thompson's 27 points. She went 8-of-14 from the three-point line. The Paladins (5-3) four-game win streak was halted with the loss.
Also scoring in double figures for Asheville was Breaira Barksdale with 14 points. She added six assists and four steals. Kendall Shepard finished with 13 points and five assists.
The Bulldogs took control of the game midway through the second half. Trailing 49-45 with 14 minutes to go in the game, Asheville scored 10 straight points to take the lead for good at 55-49. Riles had five points and four rebounds during the run. Senior Dana Wagner's long trey put Asheville ahead to stay at 50-49.
The Paladins were within 59-56 at the 7:21 mark before Asheville went on another big run. Montgomery scored eight straight points to lead an 8-1 run to push the lead to 67-57 at the 4:26 mark.
The Bulldogs led by much as 13 and Furman never got closer than nine as the Bulldogs stopped a two-game losing streak. Asheville was 12-for-12 from the free throw line in the final two minutes.
"This is a great win for us against a very good Furman team," stated Asheville coach Betsy Blose, who also celebrated her birthday on Saturday. "I really liked the way we got the ball inside to our post players. We also played very well down the stretch. I liked the poise we played with and hit our free throws."
Asheville dominated the paint area as it held a 46-22 advantage in scoring. The Bulldogs' bench out-scored Furman's 28-4 as Montgomery came off the bench.
The first half was nip-and-tuck as neither led team by more than five points. Asheville went on a 10-5 run to break a 16-16 tie and lead 26-21. Riles had six points during the run.
The Bulldogs led 33-32 at halftime. Riles was especially dominant in the first half with eight points and 11 rebounds. Shepard had nine points in the first half. Thompson had 11 points in the opening half as she knocked down three treys.
Asheville has a season-low eight turnovers in the game, just two in the second half. The Bulldogs had a decisive edge at the free throw line as they went 23-of-28 for 82 percent. The Paladins were 8-of-11 for the game.
UNC Asheville (4-3) returns to action Wednesday night when the Bulldogs host South Carolina State Wednesday night starting at 7 p.m.
