Freshman Raven Thompson shines in UTC women’s road win

Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Raven Thompson finished with a double-double in helping lead the UTC women's basketball team to a road win Wednesday at UNC Asheville.
Staff photo by Matt Hamilton / Raven Thompson finished with a double-double in helping lead the UTC women's basketball team to a road win Wednesday at UNC Asheville.

Freshman Raven Thompson's career-best game came at an opportune time for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball team.

Thompson had career highs in points with 20 and rebounds with 12 -- her first double-double -- as the Mocs won at UNC Asheville, 60-48, Wednesday afternoon.

Nine of Thompson's rebounds came on the offensive end as UTC out-rebounded the hosts, 39-33, and outscored them 34-22 in the paint.

"Raven did a phenomenal job for us today," said UTC coach Shawn Poppie, whose team won its second consecutive game and third in its last four to improve to 4-3 overall. "She has all year, but today she really stood out. We struggle to finish plays at times, but Raven seemed to come up with every offensive rebound when we needed it most.

"I'm proud of her to get over the hump and finish with a double-double today. She had been flirting with one all year."

Thompson was 6-of-11 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw line and was joined in double figures by Yazz Wazeerud-Din with 16 and Addie Grace Porter with 11.

The Mocs led 26-16 at the half, but the Bulldogs (2-2) were able to cut the lead to three entering the final quarter, where they twice cut the margin to two, the final time with 5:36 to play.

Porter, Abbey Cornelius and Thompson would combine for the next nine points, however, as UTC pushed back out to a 54-44 lead.

The Mocs made 18 of 23 free throws, led by Thompson's six. UTC starters scored 58 of the team's 60 points and played all but 42 total minutes. The team had a season-high 39 rebounds, including five by Porter. Karsen Murphy had three blocked shots in just 11 minutes.

McKinley Brooks-Sumpter led Asheville with 14 points and nine rebounds.


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