Big First Half Carries ‘Cats to 64-49 Road Win at UMass

Saturday, February 16

Amherst, Mass.

2:00 p.m.

Davidson College

15-10, 9-3 A-10

Massachusetts

13-13, 5-7 A-10

Davidson

Massachusetts

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Big First Half Carries ‘Cats to 64-49 Road Win at UMass

2/16/2019 4:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Gavin McFarlin - Associate SID

Box Score
DavidsonPhotos.com

AMHERST, Mass. — Davidson nailed six of its nine three-pointers in the first two quarters and opened up a 24-point lead on its way to a 64-49 road win at Massachusetts Saturday afternoon in Atlantic 10 women's basketball inside the Mullins Center.

Davidson (15-10, 9-3 A-10), which avenge an earlier defeat to UMass this year, weathered a 2-for-11 shooting performance in the fourth quarter by holding the Minutewomen to 3-of-13 shooting and hitting 6-of-8 free throws itself in the final minute to seal up the win.

Katie Turner paced the offense with 17 points, eight coming in the third quarter, while Kianna Speight filled the box score with 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. The duo combined to swish home seven of the Wildcats' nine threes.

Sarah Donovan recorded her 10th double-double on 10 points and 15 rebounds, tying her career-high, with a pair of blocks and Ally Welling hauled in 10 boards to go with a personal-best tying four blocks.

The 'Cats' outstanding play started in the first two quarters on both ends of the court. They opened with a 14-5 first-quarter lead and grew it to 22-9 after a couple three-pointers from Donovan and Speight with 6:24 to go in the second quarter. UMass mustered just five more points against the 'Cats' stifling defense and Davidson ended the quarter on a 16-5 run to lead 38-14.

Davidson drilled six shots combined from three-land in the two quarters, four of them in the second when it hit 9-of-17 shots overall, and held the Minutewomen to 6-of-26 shooting.

UMass had two double-digit scorers with Destiney Philoxy and Jessica George scoring 11 each. Hailey Leidel had seven points, four rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and four steals.

A 17-5 run by the Minutewomen, who hit 6-of-9 shots including three triples to start the third quarter, erased some of the 'Cats' 24-point halftime advantage. Davidson though closed strong on six straight points from Turner to end the quarter and put the lead at 54-37.

Later in the fourth, UMass hit back-to-back threes to get within 10 (56-46) and 1:35 to go. It would then cut its deficit to nine, 58-49, on a free throw with 1:07 remaining before Davidson sealed up the win on its free throw shooting.

Davidson finished the game shooting 41.1 percent (23-of-56) and held a commanding 43-28 advantage on rebounds. It also had 14 second-chance points.

Continuing on the road, Davidson will next play at Dayton for a 7 p.m. Wednesday tipoff.

GAME NOTES: This was the eighth meeting all-time between both team's women's basketball programs since the Wildcats joined the A-10 … the Wildcats moved to 3-5 in the series … this is the second time this year Davidson has had a pair of double-digit rebounders in a game … Donovan's 10 double-doubles is the most since 11 registered by Mackenzie Latt '18 in 2014-15 … the 'Cats have put three double figure scorers in 21 of the 25 games this season.