Citadel Falls to Wofford Despite 40-Point Effort from Backcourt
Moore and Williams each drop 20 points at McAlister Field House, but the Bulldogs can't contain Wofford's balanced attack in a 95-86 conference loss.
The Citadel’s backcourt did everything it could Friday night at McAlister Field House. Moore and Williams each poured in 20 points, the kind of dual scoring punch that usually gives the Bulldogs a chance to win.
It wasn’t enough. Wofford’s balanced scoring attack proved too much to contain, and the Terriers left Charleston with a 95-86 Southern Conference victory.
The 95 points allowed will concern the coaching staff heading into the meat of conference play. When you’re getting 40 combined points from your two best scorers and still losing by nine, the problems are on the defensive end of the floor.
Wofford spread the ball around, making the Bulldogs guard multiple threats rather than focusing on shutting down one or two primary scorers. That approach stretched The Citadel’s defense and created the open looks that led to the Terriers’ offensive explosion.
The loss drops The Citadel in the Southern Conference standings as the calendar turns to a stretch of games that will determine tournament seeding. Every conference game carries weight at this point of the season, and home losses sting particularly hard.
McAlister Field House should be a place where the Bulldogs take care of business against conference opponents. The building’s intimate atmosphere and loyal crowd typically give The Citadel an edge in close games. Friday night, that edge wasn’t enough to overcome the defensive breakdowns that plagued the second half.
Moore’s 20 points came on efficient shooting, and Williams matched him with his own 20-point effort that included several drives to the basket that drew fouls. When both players are scoring at that clip, the Bulldogs usually find themselves in winnable games.
The challenge now is translating that offensive production into victories, which means solving the defensive issues that allowed Wofford to score nearly a point per possession.
The Citadel returns to action next week with conference play continuing. For a team with tournament aspirations, the margin for error has narrowed. Friday’s loss doesn’t end those hopes, but it makes the road to March more difficult.