Off-Shooting Night Hurts ‘Cats in 62-53 Setback at N.C. A&T

Thursday, November 21

Greensboro, N.C.

6:00 p.m.

Davidson College

2-3

North Carolina A&T

3-1

Davidson

N.C. A&T

Laura Murray had her 72nd career double-figure scoring game with a game-high 21 points.

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Off-Shooting Night Hurts ‘Cats in 62-53 Setback at N.C. A&T

11/21/2013 8:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID

Box Score (html)
DavidsonPhotos.com

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Davidson never got on track shooting as it was held to a season-low 33.3 percent and North Carolina A&T was able to take advantage in winning its home opener, 62-53, at Corbett Sports Center in non-conference women's basketball action.

The Wildcats fell to 2-3 on the year, dropping their third in a row after opening the season with road wins at Clemson and Mount Saint Mary's. N.C. A&T won its third straight to run its early season record to 3-1.

In addition to shooting just 18-of-54 from the field, the Wildcats hit only five of their 19 three-point attempts. Their defense did hold the Aggies to 36.7 percent shooting, but N.C. A&T scored 32 points in the paint and capitalized on 21 Wildcat turnovers by turning those into 18 points.

For the first time this year, Davidson failed to put three players in double figures. Laura Murray scored a game-high 21 points, getting all but two of those points in the second half when she tried to bring the Wildcats back.

Dakota Dukes followed with 10 points and eight rebounds.

Ariel Bursey led the Aggies with 18 points, getting 12 of them in the first half, and Christina Carter (13) and Tracy King (12) also hit double figures.

Murray nearly brought the 'Cats back from a 12-point deficit over an eight-minute span. After the Aggies used a 15-4 run to take a 45-33 lead, the senior guard would score 14 of the Wildcats' next 17 points in making the score 55-50 with just over a minutes left to play.

It's as close as the Wildcats would get though. The Aggies hit seven free throws in the last minute to seal up the win.

Both teams never got in a flow early thanks to costly turnovers. Davidson coughed up the ball 10 times halfway through the half and finished with 13, but still grabbed a lead of 17-12 after Shneeka Center converted a three-point play with 9:25 on the clock.

Davidson then went ice cold, not scoring again until a pair of free throws by Lillian McCabe with 46 seconds remaining. North Carolina A&T took advantage, going on a 14-4 run to close the half and grab a 26-21 lead. Bursey scored nine points in the run, including a buzzer-beating three-ball to close the half out.

Davidson takes a few days off before heading to High Point, N.C., to play the High Point Panthers this Sunday, Nov. 24, at 2 p.m.

GAME NOTES: Tonight's game was the first between both schools … the Wildcats played their fourth of six road games in the first seven to start the year … Davidson is in the midst of playing four games in an eight-day stretch, having started the stretch at Wake Forest Tuesday, Nov. 19 … Murray's 20-point outing was the 20th of her career and the 72nd game in double figures.