A crowd goes for a loose ball in Friday's loss to Chattanooga. (Tim Cowie photo)

Davidson College Sports Information
With less than a second left on the game clock, Chattanooga’s Bailey Dewart buried a game-winning three-pointer to lead the Mocs over Davidson, 54-51, Friday night in a women’s basketball game at Belk Arena.

It was the Cats’ third defeat in Southern Conference play by three points or less as they fell to 1-5 in the SoCon and 5-9 overall. Davidson earlier this season fell at Elon, 61-60, and then to UNCG at home, 59-58.

Chattanooga, winners of five of their last six games, improved to 8-9 overall and 5-3 in league play.

With six seconds left, Chattanooga called a timeout to set up its last play. After the timeout, the Mocs passed the ball around until Bailey Dewart got it at the top of the circle. From there, she dribbled off a screen at the top of the key, stopped and fired a shot just outside the arc that fell through at the buzzer to give the Mocs the three-point win.

Davidson had a chance to grab the lead with 41 seconds left, after the Mocs hit a jumper to tie things up at 51-all. The Wildcats worked the ball inside to Sophia Aleksandravicius, but her turn-around jumper fell short allowing the Mocs one last chance.

Aleksandravicius finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, as well as three blocks and three steals. Freshman Laura Murray also hit the double-digit mark with a game-high tying 17 points, her seventh double-figure game of the season.

Murray scored 10 of those points in the first half with all of them coming in the first five and half minutes when she guided the Cats to an early 20-8 lead. She canned a pair of three pointers, Davidson’s only shots made from behind the arc, and two jumpers in the early going.

Chattanooga’s Whitney Hood had a team-high 17 points, while Kiara Smith came off the bench for nine points, all on three-pointers. The Cats did hold the Mocs to just 8-of-25 shooting from behind the arc.

Down 49-45 with 5:51 left, the ‘Cats chipped away and regained the lead (50-49) after a driving layup from Jasmine Calin and another bucket inside from Aleksandravicius a few minute later.

The first half was a tale of two runs. Davidson came out firing on all cylinders, canning seven of its first eight shots to grab the 20-8 lead at the 10:45 mark. But a cold streak by the Wildcats allowed the Mocs to get right back in it. Chattanooga rattled off a 16-5 run over the next nine minutes to cut the lead down to one, 25-24, before Barbara Sitton closed the half with a short jumper to give Davidson a 27-24 lead heading into halftime.

Sitton and Chloe Woodington combined for nine of the Wildcats’ 12 assists. Woodington’s five assist on the night matched her career-high as she also added three points, three boards and a steal.

SAMFORD SUNDAY

Davidson turns around and will host Samford on Sunday at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs were tied for first in the SoCon entering tonight’s play at Appalachian State.

GAME NOTES: Aleksandravicius’ 16-point and 8-rebound performance was the third time in the last four games she’s had those identical numbers. … It also marks the ninth time this year the sophomore has tallied at least eight boards in a contest. … Davidson has dropped 22 of the last 23 meetings vs. the Mocs. … For the eighth time this year, Davidson out-rebounded the opposition, holding a 36-35 edge.

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