CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Four of the five starters finished in double figures, after the Bethune-Cookman (1-2) Wildcats handed the Western Carolina Catamounts (2-1) their first loss of the season, 66-59, on Wednesday, Nov. 18 in Cullowhee, North Carolina.
For the second-straight contest redshirt junior Taylor Houston led the B-CU offensive effort, finishing with a game-high 18 points, shooting 13-for-15 from the charity stipe, while also collecting six steals in her home state.
After a slow start in the first stanza, the Catamounts opened the game with an early 8-4 lead.
A Kailyn Williams bucket in the paint, two free throws from Houston and three ball from Kendra Cooper gave the Wildcats their first lead of the match-up, leading 11-8 with 3:29 left to play in the first quarter.
A 13-4 run ended the first for B-CU after Houston knocked down three more foul shots, giving the Wildcats the 12-6 advantage at the end of the first.
It was all B-CU in the second quarter, as the Wildcats outscored WCU 18 to 13 during the final first-half ten minutes.
B-CU saw its largest lead of the half after a Williams layup at the 2:42 mark put the Wildcats up 15 at 33-18.
Heading into the intermission, B-CU held onto a 34-25 lead.
After the break, Williams opened the third with an and-1 from Lyndsey Edwards, knocking down the foul shot, and putting the Wildcats back up 11 less than thirty seconds into the quarter.
B-CU saw its lead swell after two Jasmine Knowles free throws with 4:02 on the clock, gave the Wildcats a 46-30 advantage.
As time expired, Knowles used a put-back layup to give B-CU a 17-point lead heading into the final stanza, up 53-36.
The Wildcats struggled with the pressure in the fourth, as WCU was able to press B-CU and finish the final quarter with a 23-13 benefit, but the last-quarter efforts were not enough as the Wildcats were able to hold on to the 66-59 victory, marking their first of the season.
In addition to Taylor, Cooper added 16 points, Williams collected her first double-double of the season with 13 points and 12 board, while Knowles added 10 points, 8 rebounds and three assists.
Raziyah Farrington led WCU with 17 points, and four steals while Sherae Bonner led the Catamounts on the boards with eight.
B-CU returns home for a Saturday match-up with cross-town foe, Stetson, Nov. 21 at 3 p.m.
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