University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Western Carolina
Second-Half Surge Leads WCU Past Bulldogs
11.16.2011 | Women's Basketball
CULLOWHEE, N.C. - After taking a 31-26 lead into halftime the UNC Asheville women's basketball team watched their five-point advantage disappear as Western Carolina exploded for 39 second-half points to earn a 65-53 victory over the Bulldogs on Wednesday evening at the Ramsey Center.
"I though we played really well and with a lot of energy in the first half," said Asheville head coach Betsy Blose. "Western finished the first half on a 6-0 run and then came out with a lot more energy in the second half, controlling the tempo and taking away the three. They just came out with a lot more heart and energy in the second half."
Asheville led 31-20 with 1:53 remaining in the first before the Catamounts' run. Western then tied the game at 35 with 15:03 remaining. The two teams would remain close, trading buckets over the next eight minutes, but eventually WCU would pull away and would keep the Bulldogs at arm's length the rest of the way.
Asheville got a team-high 13 points from Grace Blaylock, with Gentry Manley chipping in 11 off the bench. Freshman Leah Wormack led the Bulldogs in rebounds with seven while Manley added six. The Blue & White fall to 1-1 on the season.
Western (3-0) stayed perfect on the year thanks in part to Kaila'Shea Menendez, who posted a game-high 17 points for the Catamounts. Caitlin Hollifield posted a double-double for WCU scoring 12 and pulling down 10 rebounds. Rena Wakama also scored in double figures, tallying 10 points for Western.
The Catamounts scored 22 points of Bulldog turnovers to just four points for Asheville off of Western miscues. The Bulldogs did outscore WCU 29-18 in points off the bench and second chance points with an 11-9 advantage.
The Bulldogs will be back at home on Saturday to take on Montreat College. Tip-off is at 2 p.m. at Kimmel Arena on the campus of UNC Asheville.
