CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga women's basketball team got off to a slow start and couldn't find the sweet spot Saturday afternoon at The McKenzie Arena, falling 56-48 to Western Carolina in Southern Conference action.
 
The Mocs scored just six points in the opening period but managed to find their feet but managed to get to within two points, 17-15, in the second behind a pair of 3-pointers from freshman Brooklyn Crouch. UTC outscored the Cats 9-2 at the start of the period. However, Chattanooga scored just five more points the rest of the period and trailed 31-20 at intermission.
 
Chattanooga pulled to within a point in the third quarter, 35-34 with 3:35 to play in the frame on a steal and fast break from Sigrun Olafsdottir, but the Cats fought back and pushed the lead to six points, 42-36, heading into the final quarter.
 
Yazz Wazeerud-Din started the final period with a pair of free throws to make it a four-point game, 42-38. A layup and free throw was all the Mocs would get over the next 5:31, growing the Catamount lead to its largest of the game, 54-41, with 3:19 to play.
 
The end got furious with activity for the Mocs who scored eight points down the stretch. Olafsdottir's steal with 1:38 to play resulted in a layup from Raven Thompson. UTC forced a pair of turnovers and Thompson put up another layup to cut the lead to single digits, 54-45, with 58 seconds remaining.
 
A pair of free throws from Western Carolina with 24 seconds to play stretched the lead back to double figures, but sophomore Destiny McClendon was inserted into the game and drained a 3-pointer with 21 seconds to play, but that would be all the scoring.
 
Chattanooga drops to 12-10 overall and 4-3 in league play while the Catamounts improve to 9-13 on the year and 2-5 against the conference.
 
Western Carolina outrebounded the Mocs 33-14. Chattanooga scored 20 points on 30 Western Carolina miscues but saw the Cats shoot 22-of-37 (59.5%) from the field and 5-of-10 from long distance. UTC was 18-of-51 on field goals while making 5-of-22 from range. UTC was 7-of-9 from the free throw line and WCU was 7-of-8.
 
Yazz Wazeerud-Din led the Mocs with 11 points with a pair of 3-pointers and was 3-of-4 from the line. Abbey Cornelius was 4-of-7 from the field with eight points, three assists and two steals. Thompson put up seven points with three assists and two steals.
 
Brooklyn Crouch had six points on two 3-pointers, a career-best from the freshman. Olafsdottir added six points and a career-high six steals.
 
Kyla Allison led all scorers with 20 points and seven rebounds for Western Carolina and Mya Love added 11 points.
 
Chattanooga will return to action at home next Saturday, hosting East Tennessee State. The game will tip off at 2:00 p.m. at the Roundhouse.
 
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
Feb. 4    Kid's Club Day
                Baby Derby Day
Feb. 16  Pink Game – Breast Cancer Awareness
Feb. 18  Senior Night
 
FROM THE HEAD COACH
On defensive struggle today
"We allow them to shoot 60% That's kind of what we hang our hat on is on the defensive side of the ball. There's certain times they may come in and adjust and there are some things we weren't prepared for. They ran a four out one in high ball screen or wing ball screen for 40 minutes. We do that drill every single day. We changed the coverage up a handful of times, but it was just we did not focus and didn't have simple rotations that we've been doing for like I said 22 games so that part is very frustrating.
 
TOP TAKEAWAYS
• Brooklyn Crouch scored a career-high with six points.
• Chattanooga forced 30 turnovers and scored 20 points.
• The Mocs cut the Catamount lead to one point, 35-34, late in the third quarter.