'Cats 5-0 For First Time in League Play After 72-58 Win Over Elon

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DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Led by four scorers in double figures, including two Wildcats who hit for double doubles, Davidson started 5-0 in Southern Conference play for the first time in school history after securing a 72-58 home win over Elon on Saturday evening in women's basketball action.

Behind Alex Thompson's (Asheville, N.C.) game-high 21 points, Davidson inched closer to .500 with an overall mark of 6-8, while picking up its seventh SoCon win in a row dating back to the end of last year. The Wildcats also moved into sole possession of first place after Chattanooga dropped their first league game of the year at Georgia Southern earlier in the day.

Elon dropped its 12th straight to fall to 1-12 overall and remained winless in SoCon action at 0-6. The Phoenix were paced by Courtney Medley and Tiara Gause, who each went off for 17 points apiece.

Joining Thompson, who hit four of her seven field goals from downtown, in double figures was the senior duo of Mercedes Robinson (Baltimore, Md.) and Mandy Halbersleben (Cincinnati, Ohio). They tallied the Wildcats' second straight game with two players picking up double doubles. Robinson matched her season average with 14 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for her second double-double in a row, seventh of the season and 24th of her career. She has registered double doubles in four of the past six games.

Halbersleben, coming off a solid all-around game against Wofford on Tuesday, recorded her first career double-double by matching her personal-best with 12 points and adding 10 rebounds. Over the past three contests now, the senior forward has hauled in 27 total boards.

Rounding out the quartet of scorers was Julia Paquette (Stockbridge, Ga.) with 10 points, and just nearly missed her second straight double-double with nine rebounds. Paquette was one of six 'Cats to hauled in at least four rebounds in leading Davidson to a 53-31 advantage on the boards.

Tied at 44-all – the eighth and final tie of the game – with 11:37 left, Davidson finally pulled away with a 13-1 run over the next four minutes to take a 57-45 advantage. The Wildcats used their inside play to grab the 12-point lead as Paquette hit for six of the 13 points, while Robinson and Halbersleben each hit layups in the paint during the run.

From there, Davidson pushed the lead out to as many as 16 points on a Kristen Johnsen (Wayne, Pa.) free throw, and easily secured the 72-58 triumph.

Elon was never able to counter the Wildcats run as it went cold from the field in the second half, hitting just 19.4 percent of its shots in the second stanza. The Phoenix shot 19 of their 36 total second-half field goals from three-land, but made just four of them.

Both teams were nearly identical in the stat sheet in the first half, which saw the Wildcats take a one-point lead (35-34) into halftime. Davidson and Elon each shot over 45 percent from the floor, scored 20 points apiece in the paint, hauled in 16 rebounds each and both had a player reach double digits in points.

Davidson held a four-point lead (21-17) in the early going after two Robinson free throws, but Elon countered with an 8-2 run that gave it a five-point lead at 25-20 and 7:31 remaining in the half.

Robinson then capped off the first half, which saw seven ties and five lead changes, with a driving layup and 11 ticks on the clock to give the Wildcats the one-point advantage at halftime.

Davidson seeks league win number six when it hits the road for a 3 p.m. contest at UNC Greensboro, Jan. 5.

Game Notes: Davidson hit the 50-board mark for the third time this year, and second straight game ... Davidson has out-rebounded the opposition nine times overall this year ... The Wildcats have won 24 of their last 29 games at John M. Belk Arena ... Junior Monica Laune returned to action after missing the past three contests, registering six points, five rebounds, two steals and a block in 21 minutes off the bench ... It was the second game in a row Davidson has placed four players in double digits ... Three times this year now Davidson has placed two players in double digits in rebounds in a game.

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