CULLOWHEE, N.C. — Western Carolina women’s basketball opened the 2026-27 season in dominant fashion Monday night, forcing 29 turnovers, shooting 47 percent from the field and routing Carolina University 96-31 at the Ramsey Center.
Ally Hollifield led the Catamounts with a game-high 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point range. Hollifield also grabbed four steals, turning Carolina University’s mistakes into easy scoring chances.
Carolina University scored first on a floating jumper by Alexis Gibbs and led 3-0, but the lead lasted less than a minute. Hollifield’s three-pointer at 8:30 of the first quarter put Western Carolina in front 5-3, and the Catamounts never trailed again. Western Carolina won the opening quarter 29-8, capped by a buzzer-beating layup from Kayla Mount off an Ellie Richardson assist. Seven different Catamounts scored in the first quarter alone, a sign of how freely the ball moved.
The second quarter was more of the same. Western Carolina outscored the Bruins 35-9 and took a 64-17 lead into halftime. Kate Hollifield provided the highlight of the half, hitting three straight three-pointers in a span of 47 seconds late in the period to stretch a 51-15 lead to 60-15. She finished with 12 points, all on 4-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc.
The third quarter brought no relief for Carolina University. The Bruins managed only two points, a Gibbs hook shot with 45 seconds left, while Western Carolina added 25 more to take an 89-19 lead into the final period. Richardson scored eight of her 10 points in the quarter, hitting a pair of three-pointers and a pullup jumper, and Ally Hollifield added a pair of layups and another three. The Catamounts led by as many as 70 points.
Defense drove the blowout. Western Carolina forced 29 Carolina University turnovers, which it converted into 41 points. Carolina University scored just three points off Catamount turnovers. Western Carolina made 13 of its 30 three-point attempts (43 percent) and also dominated fast-break points (26-5) and points in the paint (36-8), while holding the Bruins to 11-of-55 shooting (20 percent) and 3-of-14 from deep. WCU finished with 16 steals and five blocks.
The Catamounts’ depth shone through. Hannah Moss scored 17 points off the bench on 8-of-14 shooting, and Richardson filled the stat sheet with 10 points, six rebounds, and a team-high four assists. Mount added eight points, and Justice Zimmerman chipped in seven points, five rebounds, and three steals. As a team, WCU dished out 22 assists on 35 made baskets.
My’Asia Young made her presence felt on the glass. The reserve pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds, four of them offensive, and added 10 points, three steals and two blocks in 25 minutes. Western Carolina outrebounded Carolina University 56-34, including a 22-11 edge on the offensive glass. Tina Bowers also contributed seven rebounds and four assists off the bench, and four Catamounts finished with at least five boards.
Carolina University never found a rhythm. Gibbs led the Bruins with 12 points, but she shot 4-of-10 and committed five turnovers. Jada Pleasant added five points, and MeiLani Patterson and Brinyia Rolax each grabbed five rebounds, but Carolina University was outrebounded by 22. The Bruins did show some life in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Catamounts 12-7 as Western Carolina emptied its bench, and WCU went scoreless over the final 5:15. By then, the outcome had long been decided. Western Carolina’s win probability sat at 99.9 percent from the opening tip, according to ESPN.
The Bruins were whistled for 21 fouls to Western Carolina’s eight, though the Catamounts made only 13 of 22 free throws (59 percent). A crowd of 391 turned out at the Ramsey Center to watch the opener.
Western Carolina (1-0) will next take the court Thursday, Nov. 5, to take on West Florida at the Ramsey Center. The game is slated for 6:00 p.m.
