Dec. 1, 2008

Box Score

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Chattanooga's Shanara Hollinquest hit a layup with 52 seconds left to lift UTC to a 55-54 win over the Samford women's basketball team Monday night at The McKenzie Arena. The game was Samford's first-ever Southern Conference game. Chattanooga enters the season as the nine-time defending conference champions.

"We didn't come here for a moral victory, we came here to win a basketball game," Samford head coach Mike Morris said. "I thought we had a great team effort. But, when Chattanooga got down by five, they turned it up a notch and we didn't respond."

Samford (5-2, 0-1 SoCon) was led by Monica Maxwell with 13 points and five rebounds. Emily London and Savannah Hill had 10 points each and Karmen Smith added nine points for the Bulldogs.

For Chattanooga (3-3, 1-0 SoCon), Hollinquest led the way with 26 points. Jenaya Wade-Fray added 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Lady Mocs.

The teams traded baskets early in the first half until, with Samford leading, 8-7, Chattanooga went on a 9-0 run to take a 16-8 lead with 13:00 to go in the half. Samford answered with a 9-0 run of its own after two three pointers by Smith and one by Maxwell to take a 17-16 lead with 10:35 to go in the half.

The score remained close for most of the first half until, with the game tied at 25-25, the Lady Mocs closed the half with a 12-2 run to take a 37-27 lead into halftime.

Chattanooga pushed its lead to 13 at 42-29 early in the second half, but Samford answered with a 15-0 run to take a 44-42 lead with 11:59 to go after a three-pointer by Maxwell. Chattanooga came back to take the lead at 45-44 with 9:37 left, but Samford went on an 8-2 run to take a 52-47 lead with 4:19 to go after a three-pointer by London.

With Samford leading, 54-49, Hollinquest scored the last six points of the game, all on layups to give the Lady Mocs the win.

For the game, Samford shot a season-high 42.3 percent from three-point range. The Bulldogs shot 37.3 percent from the floor overall and 83.3 percent from the free-throw line.

Samford held Chattanooga to just 29.4 per cent from three-point range. The Lady Mocs made 40.4 percent of their shots overall and 80.0 percent of their free throw attempts.

Samford will return to action on Thursday, Dec. 4, when the Bulldogs play at Wofford. The game is scheduled for a 5 p.m. (CT) tip-off from Spartanburg, S.C.