The ETSU women’s basketball team pushed down barriers against Chattanooga Friday night as they rolled over the Lady Moccasins 85-61 in their home opener at Memorial Center.This victory broke a recent slump against Chattanooga. The Lady Bucs had lost their last two against UTC, and head coach Karen Kemp said she was thrilled with the victory.

“If someone had told me before the game that we would beat Chattanooga by more than 20 points, I would have said they were out of their mind.” Kemp said after the game. “But I guess our seniors had some revenge on their minds.”

“This may have looked like a smooth victory, but it definitely didn’t feel like one,” said sophomore forward Gwen Washington, who contributed 14 of ETSU’s 85 points. “It was more intense than anything, I just did my best to play hard and keep fighting. I just tried to make it look smooth.”

The Lady Bucs struggled with slow starts in the preseason, but they showed no sign of sluggishness against Chattanooga.

Senior forward TaRonda Wiles had a lot to do with this quick start, as she scored 18 of her 24 points in the first half.

“They just kept leaving me open,” said Wiles. “They didn’t guard me early so I didn’t have any choice but to knock down shots.”

Wiles and Washington combined to outscore the entire Lady Mocs team with their points alone in the first half. They combined for 32 points to Chattanooga’s team total of 26. The rest of the Lady Bucs donated another 17 points and ETSU led at half 49-26.

“TaRonda and I do work really well together,” said Washington. “I know how to find her out there on the court when I’m down inside and her shot is usually on so I don’t have to worry about it.”

“Even though we’ve only been together a couple of years we still know how to play together pretty well,” said Wiles. “I think it’s a gym thing.”

Chattanooga senior forward Shanara Hollinquest, the 2009 Southern Conference Player of the Year, did her best to make it a game in the early in the second half.

Hollinquest scored back-to-back baskets at the 14:19 mark to pull the Lady Mocs within 20 for the first time since late in the first half. Despite Hollinquest’s 10 rebounds and 14 points, the Mocs still came up short.

Kemp gave credit to freshman forward Tasha Austin for keeping Hollinquest in check.

“Austin takes pride in her defense,” said Kemp. “I asked her if she was up to the challenge early this week and she told me she was. I was very pleased with her effort tonight.”

Although Chattanooga is not a conference opponent, the Lady Bucs still consider this a big win.

“It’s such a great experience to beat Chattanooga after the last few years,” Wiles said.

ETSU will continue its four-game road swing when they travel to Fayetteville, Ark., to face the Lady Razorbacks of University of Arkansas on Nov. 22 at 4 p.m.

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