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SPORTS

Women’s Basketball Scores Second WNIT Preseason Win

by | Nov 18, 2019 | Sports

Rookie Rosie Deegan (photo from ‘Cats game vs. Georgetown)

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo.  — Freshman Suzi-Rose Deegan scored a season-best 31 points and Davidson capped off its run in the Preseason Women’s Basketball National Invitational Tournament with its second straight win, taking a 74-64 decision against Kansas City Saturday afternoon inside the Swinney Center.

The Wildcats (3-1) went 2-1 in the three games of the Preseason WNIT, winning both of their consolation games over the weekend. Deegan was named the MVP on the weekend and earned a spot on the all-tournament team with Katie Turner.

Deegan hit 13-of-19 shots, including 4-for-8 from behind the arc, and added six rebounds, three assists, a block and steal in her 34 minutes of action.

Katie Turner

The freshman from Australia came up big in the fourth quarter with 13 points and was clutch in the final two minutes. With the ‘Cats clinging to a one-point (60-59) lead with under 2:45 to go, Deegan scored eight straight points on a pair of three-pointers and a layup to push the advantage out to 68-59 and 40 seconds to go.

Turner and Ally Welling sealed the win by going a combined 6-of-8 at the charity stripe in the closing seconds. Turner finished the day with nine points and dished out seven assists, while Welling had six points and a team-high eight rebounds, which was also a season-best for the senior.

Sophomore Chloe Welch scored a career-high 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting with a couple three-pointers and two blocks. The guard scored 13 of those points in the first two quarters, as she had the hot hand early, scoring seven straight points at one time to help Davidson grab an early 15-12 lead after the first 10 minutes.

Deegan followed in the second quarter by scoring the ‘Cats’ first eight points and she ended the quarter with 13 points.

Davidson led by three at the end of each of the first three quarters, 15-12, 35-32 and 47-44.

Kansas City (2-2) was paced by three double-digit scorers. Ericka Mattingly had 21 points, followed by Emily Ivory at 17 and Cristina Soriano with 13 to go with seven rebounds.

The Wildcats shot over 40 percent for the fourth time this year, finishing at 43.1 for the game and went 10-of-13 on free throws. They had a 41-35 edge on the glass, while the defense held the Roos to 36.1 percent shooting, including just 3-of-17 from behind the three-line.

Davidson returns home for a battle against former Southern Conference foe Western Carolina, Nov. 20.

GAME NOTES: This was the first meeting all-time between both team’s women’s basketball programs …. Davidson moved to 3-4 all-time in the Preseason WNIT … Behind Deegan’s 31 points, the Wildcats got a season-best 35 points from their bench … they also had a season-best 38 points in the paint and 17 points on fastbreaks … the game featured eight ties and eight lead changes.

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