Cherokee, NC – Junior forward Lexi Jackson posted her third straight double-double to push the UNCW women’s basketball team past Western Carolina 60-51 in Wednesday night’s Cherokee Invitational Showcase at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort.
The Seahawks (3-7) snapped a three-game losing skid in their penultimate non-conference match. The Catamounts (6-8) have dropped three of their last four games.
UNCW shot 37.7 percent (20-of-53) from the field while hitting 90.5 percent (19-of-21) from the free throw line. WCU hit 39.5 percent (17-of-43) from the floor while converting 72.2 percent (13-of-18) from the charity stripe.
Graduate guard Carrie Gross and sophomore guard Jayde Gamble led the Seahawks with 12 points each. Jackson contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds to become the first UNCW player to register three consecutive double-doubles since Carol-Anne Obusek rattled off six straight from Feb. 21 to Mar. 10, 2021.
Catamounts sophomore guard Shayane Poirot-Allard paced all scorers with 14 markers while graduate guard Kyla Allison added 10 markers.
The Seahawks started the contest hot, hitting 8-of-14 shots in the first quarter, to build a 16-7 advantage after the first 10 minutes of play.
UNCW held the Catamounts to one point, an Audrey Myers free throw, over a 6:37 second quarter stretch while scoring 14 points to increase its lead to a game-high 30-8 with over three minutes before halftime. WCU, however, closed the quarter with an 8-0 spurt to trail the Seahawks 30-16 at the intermission.
The Catamounts made a late run, outscoring the Seahawks 14-7 over a 4:33 stretch midway through the fourth quarter, but UNCW converted five free throws in the final 34 seconds to ice their second December win.
The Seahawks are ideal through the holiday season until Thursday, Dec. 29 when they begin Colonial Athletic Association play at Trask vs. preseason favorite Drexel at 7 p.m.
Source: Brandon Sans, UNCW
