March 12, 2009

2009 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Information

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The NCAA Women's Basketball Championship selection show party, for the Lady Catamount basketball team, will be begin at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 16, in the third floor Illusions at the A.K. Hinds University Center on the campus of Western Carolina University. The selection show will be televised at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

Tickets for the NCAA First and Second rounds of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament will be available at the Western Carolina ticket office, by phone or walk-up, beginning at 9 .m. Tuesday, March 17, for Catamount Club members and corporate sponsors only and will be made available for the general public beginning Wednesday March 18. Ticket prices have not been announced yet.

Western Carolina women's basketball captured the 2009 Southern Conference Tournament in triple overtime, the longest game in Southern Conference Tournament history, by defeating College of Charleston 101-87. It is the second Southern Conference Tournament title under Head Coach Kellie Harper in her five year tenure, and also the second trip to the NCAA Tournament in school history.

Senior center Brooke Johnson was named the Southern Conference Tournament MVP averaging 18.3 points per game and just missing a double-double with nine rebounds per game. In the semifinal win over Samford, the Seymour, Tenn., native also just missed tying her career-high with 25 points. She then scored 21 points in the heart-stopping triple overtime with College of Charleston.

Sophomore Emily Clarke was a SoCon Second Team All-Tournament selection. Clarke nailed three treys in the comeback in the second half against the Cougars, as the Lady Catamounts trailed by as many as 15 points. The Snellville, Ga. product also hit a dagger three-pointer in the third overtime to lift Western Carolina over College of Charleston.

Senior Lauren Powell sent Western Carolina into the second and third overtimes thanks to her clutch free throws. What is now known as "the play", Powell drew a charge in the first overtime with 1.8 seconds left and drained two from the charity stripe to force a second overtime. In the second OT, she picked up a steal and drew a foul, with the Lady Catamounts trailing by two, with 53 seconds remaining, and again hit two free throws to tie the game forcing a third overtime. Western Carolina outscored College of Charleston 16-2 in the third overtime to capture the title.

Fans can also give Western Carolina women's basketball an early send-off to the NCAA Tournament at the first spring Catamount Club's Caravan event Tuesday March 17 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Harper, the Lady Catamount basketball team, Head Men's Basketball Coach Larry Hunter and Head Football Coach Dennis Wagner will be in attendance. Cost of the event, which includes dinner, is $15 for adults and $10 for children and will be held on the concourse level of the Ramsey Center. The event is open to Catamount Club members and the general public.

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