BOSTON, Mass. (WAVY) – Northeastern’s second-half full-court press was too much for William & Mary’s women’s basketball team in the second half as the Tribe lost 71-57 in a New Year’s Day Colonial Athletic Association clash.
The Tribe (5-8, 0-2 CAA) had led by one through the strength of its own defense, but Northeastern’s press fueled its run and they struggled to score after that.
Though W&M had handled the press fine in the first half, it was a different story in the second half, as Northeastern (6-7, 1-1) outscored William & Mary 32-8 in an 11:40 span spanning parts of the third and fourth quarters.
“Their press just rattled us so bad and we couldn’t find our sea legs,” said W&M coach Erin Dickerson Davis. “I’m not sure what the difference was between the first and second half as far as the press, but it rattled us, and we couldn’t bounce back from it.”
Riley Casey led the Tribe with 14 points, and Sydney Wagner had 12. Rebekah Frisby-Smith and Caitlin Wingertzahn each had eight. Bre Bellamy led W&M with six rebounds.
W&M led 21-13 with 8:20 in the second quarter, but the Huskies scored the final seven points of the period and led by one at the break after getting a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Derin Erdogan.
The Tribe made 7 of its first 17 shots and led 21-13 with 8:20 remaining in the second quarter. But the Huskies scored the final seven points of the period and took a 26-25 lead at halftime on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Derin Erdogan.
The Tribe rallied earlier in the third quarter to take another one-point lead with 5:24 left, but then Northeastern’s press took over.
W&M next host Charleston (6-6, 1-1) at Kaplan Arena in Williamsburg.
