Nov. 7, 2009

 

Head Women's Basketball Coach Karen Middleton (AUDIO) Box Score

 

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - Senior forward Kristen Feemster recorded a double-double, with 15 points and 13 rebounds, to help lead Western Carolina women's basketball, and new Head Coach Karen Middleton, to a 69-48 win over Tusculum in its lone exhibition game Saturday.

The Catamounts dominated the first 10 minutes of the game outscoring Tusculum 24-6. The score was 8-6 with 14:11 left to play when WCU went on a 16-0 run to build its lead. A pair of lay-ups by freshman forward Richelle Price and a 4-of-5 performance at the free throw line, by the team, helped push the points for the Catamounts.

Tusculum did battle back in the final 10 minutes of the half, as the team was nearly evenly matched in the points department. Western Carolina scored 13 points to close out the half and Tusculum had 12 to make the score 36-20 at the break.

Up by 18 to start the second half, Western Carolina held Tusculum scoreless for the first three minutes. Heather Swayne's bucket to start the final 20 minutes jump-started Western Carolina to build a 26 point lead with 17:11 remaining. The Catamounts also forced five Tusculum turnovers in that span.

The scrappy Tusculum squad battled back and cut the Western Carolina lead to 19 twice, the second time at the 9:44 mark off a jumper by Catherine Hintz. Catamount senior guard Jessica Jackson answered by draining a three-pointer at the top of the key, her only three of the night, to push the lead back to 22.

Western Carolina scored just nine points in the final seven minutes of the game while Tusculum scored 10.

Overall, Western Carolina shot 36.5 percent from the field and was outrebounded 42 to 41 by Tusculum. The Catamounts went to the free throw line 23 times connecting on 19 for 82.6 percent.

Feemster not only led the team with the 15 points and 13 rebounds she also filled the stat sheets with four steals and two blocked shots. Junior Emily Clarke added 12 points while Kaila'Shea Menendez and Richelle Price each had eight points.

Western Carolina opens the season on the road facing the Richmond Spiders on Friday. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.

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