CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Tierra Bumbrey netted a team-high 16 points and Sade Jordan added 11 points and six rebounds to lead Elon to a 77-75 overtime Southern Conference women's basketball win over Western Carolina on Monday night. The win snapped an eight game skid for the Phoenix who improved to 2-14 overall and 1-9 in the SoCon. Western Carolina fell to 7-10, 3-7.
Jessica Williams drained a three-pointer a minute and a half into the contest to give Elon a lead that it would never relinquish during regulation. The Phoenix built a first half margin of nine points with 2:47 to go in the stanza when Bumbrey sank one of two free throws and would carry an eight-point edge into the break at 33-25.
The Phoenix kept the intensity up in the second half, building a 15-point advantage at 42-27 after Robyn Shipley hit a three at the 17:46 mark. The Lady Catamounts did not fold, instead they rallied back to cut the margin under 10 for good with 8:04 to play following a Teyawna Hardy layup.
Western Carolina would have the lead down to four with 3:30 to play in the second half. The Cats tied the game at 66, the first tie of the game, on two Lori Tanner free throws with 2:37 to play. Nikko King responded for Elon, scoring two of her career-high nine points on the next possession. Jennifer Gardner then quickly answered for Western Carolina, making a layup with 1:09 to go for two of her game-high 23 points.
The Catamounts had a chance to win in regulation, but a Ki-Ki Glass layup at the buzzer would not fall, sending the game to overtime.
In overtime, Elon's second OT game of the year, Western Carolina canned the first bucket, a Gardner layup that gave the Catamounts their only lead of the game at 70-68.
Nicole Allison tied the game back up for Elon on a layup. After a defensive stop, the Phoenix came back down the floor where Bumbrey (above right) sank two free throws to give Elon the lead for good. With the Elon lead at four with 14 seconds left, Gardner put home yet another layup. The Phoenix then turned the ball over, but deflected the inbounds pass away, leaving only three ticks left on the clock. Western Carolina was unable to get off a shot before the buzzer and Elon claimed the 77-75 victory.
Williams added 11 points and Allison finished with 10 points for Elon, while King tallied nine rebounds to lead the Phoenix.
Gardner also led all players with 16 rebounds and Tanner finished with 16 points for Western Carolina.
The Phoenix shot 46.0 percent from the field while the Cats connected at a 35.9 percent clip. From the free throw line, WCU sank 29 of its 37 attempts, including 23-27 in the second half, for 78.4 percent. The Phoenix made 56.0 percent of its free throw attempts.
Elon returns home to host Appalachian State on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
Game Box Score
-- ELON --
