WISE – UVA Wise women's basketball fell in their South Atlantic Conference opener to Coker University 78-60 Saturday afternoon on the Quillen Court.
The Cobras used a stifling full court press and a sizable rebounding advantage to grab a double-digit lead and hold off all comeback efforts by the Highland Cavaliers.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result: Coker 78, UVA Wise 60
Records: UVA Wise (4-2, 1-1 SAC); Coker (4-0, 2-0 SAC)
Location: Wise, VA | The Quillen Court in the David J. Prior Convocation Center.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The teams traded baskets early before Coker used a late surge to pull ahead by ten points after the first quarter.
- Coker extended the lead to 32-20 before the Cavs got some defensive starts along with baskets by
Katlin Burger and
Ella Karst and a pair of Burger free throws to cut the lead down to 37-32 with a minute left in the half. Mya Wasswa would hit a three-pointer to close out the half to put the Cobras ahead by eight.
- The Cobras would slowly extend the lead in the third quarter and led by 14 heading into the final stanza.
- The fourth quarter was similar to the third with Coker adding to their lead and holding on for the 78-60 win.
- Five Coker players had ten points or more, led by Shawteena Wilson's 19 points. Wasswa had 13, Kamari Thompson 12, Mariah Mitchem 11, and Dasia Ferguson 10 points.
- Tillman also had five assists and five steals while Thompson had a game-high 16 rebounds, including ten offensive boards.
GETTING WISE
-
Sable Burnside led the Cavs with 15 points and three steals.
Katlin Burger and
Ella Karst each chipped in ten points apiece.
- Karst led UVA Wise with six rebounds.
- Burger edged ever closer to the 1,000 point mark for her career, ending the game with 987 points. 24 other UVA Wise women's basketball players have scored more than 1,000 points in their career, with the last one being
Caitlyn Ross in December, 2022. Other recent players to join the 1,000 point club are Nia Vanzant in January, 2022, and
Kalee Johnson in March, 2021.
UP NEXT
UVA Wise will host Catawba in a pre-Thanksgiving SAC contest Tuesday evening in the Prior Center. The teams split in their two meetings last season, with the Cavs downing the then eighth-ranked Catawba Indians 81-71 in Wise. Catawba then later defeated the Cavs in the SAC Tournament Quarterfinals to end the Highland Cavaliers' season.
Catawba enters the game with a 3-2 record and also are 1-1 in the SAC after falling at #9/#7 Carson-Newman 92-80 earlier today.
Tip-off for Tuesday's game is set for 5:30 p.m.
