Second Half Push Fuels WBB's Win Over Newbury
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Newbury (3-11, 3-6 NECC) | 10 | 20 | 30 |
|
Mitchell (9-7, 9-1 NECC) | 12 | 29 | 41 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College women's basketball team extended its winning streak to seven games with a 41-30 victory over Newbury College on Wednesday evening in New England Collegiate Conference action at the Yarnall Athletic Center.
Mitchell freshman Caycee Williams recorded a double-double with game highs of 15 points and 16 rebounds and added three steals and two blocks. Senior Kate Mulloy also contributed 14 points and a pair of steals for the Mariners (9-7 overall, 9-1 NECC), who won for the eighth straight time in league play. Katie Haney paced Newbury (3-11 overall, 3-6 NECC) with 14 points and added five rebounds and three steals.
A three-pointer by Katelyn Roeser on Newbury's opening possession gave the visitors their only lead of the contest. The Mariners came right back and went to Williams in the post for a bucket, and after forcing a turnover they took the lead on a three-pointer by Mulloy.
Both offenses struggled in the first half, as Newbury finally got its second field goal to fall at the 5:24 mark but only trailed 10-7. The Nighthawks later trimmed the deficit to two thanks to a lay-up by Claudia LeConte in the final seconds of the stanza. Despite shooting just 14 percent from the floor, the Mariners clung to a 12-10 lead at the break.
Mitchell picked it up in the second half and eventually built the lead to double digits following a pair of free throws from sophomore Savannah Boyle with 12:25 remaining. The Mariners took their largest lead at 31-16 following a three-pointer by freshman Jessica Shepherd, but Newbury answered with 10 of the next 11 points to cut the margin down to six with 4:21 to go.
Williams and Mulloy put a stop to any comeback attempt, combining for nine straight points over the next three minutes to pump the lead back to 15 and seal the win. The Mariners shot 39 percent in the second half and finished at 26 percent for the game.
Newbury shot just 15 percent from the floor and turned the ball over 25 times. Roeser finished with seven points and five rebounds while Toni-Marie Migliore grabbed a team-high seven boards.
Mitchell will next play at Daniel Webster College on Saturday, January 25 at 1 p.m. Newbury returns to action at home against Fitchburg State University on Thursday, January 23 at 6 p.m.
