Cats win triple overtime game in Travelers Rest

Lindsay Simpson  (Photo courtesy WCU)

The Western Carolina women's basketball team made their way to Travelers Rest, SC to play the Furman Paladins on Wednesday night, not knowing they would play in a game they will probably never forget.

The Cats had the game well in hand in the first half, taking a ten point lead over the Paladins into the locker room at halftime, 36-26.  The Cats built on that lead in the second half, until they had a 21 point lead over the Paladins.

However, the Paladins did not pack it in and give up.  They chipped away at the lead, little by little over the next 16 minutes of play.   Assisted by a three minute scoring gap in the final minutes of the game by the Catamounts, Furman's Brittany Hodges scored a lay up at the 6 second mark to tie the game in regulation at 68 all. Furman's Brigid Morrissey stole the ball from the Cats with 2 seconds remaining, but missed her jump shot, preventing the Cats from scoring and sending the game into overtime.

In the first overtime, both teams put up 5 points each, sending the game into the second overtime period.  In overtime period #2, both teams scored 6 points, sending the Cats and Paladins into the third overtime period tied 79-79.

To open the final period,  Sarah Durdaller fouled Lindsay Simpson, sending her to the free throw line, where she made both, score now 81-79,  WCU. Simpson was 6-6 on the free throw line in the game.   Shauna Terry then fouled the Paladin's Holli Wilkins, sending her to the line, where she made her two free throws, knotting the score again at 81.  Lindsay Simpson then drove the ball in for a layup, 83-81, Western.

On the Paladins next possession, Holli Wilkins hit a jump shot to again tie the score, 83-83, only to be followed by Rena Wakama's lay up at 3:06 to put the Cats ahead at 85-83.  After a couple missed buckets by each team, Ali Lane made a jump shot at the 1:14 minute mark that put the Cats ahead by 4 points, 87-83.

With the ball in Furman's hands, Shaunda Terry stole the ball from Furman Katlin Murphy at the 0:21 mark. Murphy immediately fouled Ali Lane.  Lane hit one of two free throws, upping the score to 88-83.  Holi Wilkins pulled down the rebound with 18 seconds on the clock, but with a good defensive stop by the Catamounts, Furman failed to score with the time running out.

True freshman Lindsay Simpson scored a career and game high 25 points, followed by Rena Wakama who scored 23 points off the bench.  Ali Lane had 11 points, followed by Janae' McKinney with 10 points.

         

Purple & Gold congratulates both the coaching staff and the entire team on this outstanding team effort on the road, in the battle for Purple supremacy

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