Women's Basketball Downs St. Mary's (MD), 66-56

NEWPORT NEWS, VA - Christopher Newport's women's basketball team did not shoot particularly well from the field Tuesday evening but it was the team's free throw shooting that led the Lady Captains to a 66-56 win over St. Mary's (MD).

The Lady Captains finished 18-of-22 (82%) from the line, the team's best percentage so far this season.

The Seahawks scored the first six points of the game and led by as many as seven points in the first half, the latest coming with 13:25 to go when St. Mary's was up 12-5 on Allie Scott's lay-up. CNU countered with a 14-7 run to knot the score at 19-19 with 6:51 left in the first on two free throws from Samantha Davis.

St. Mary's would re-take the lead by four, 25-21 with 3:46 remaining in the opening stanza, however, CNU scored the next six points to take the lead by two, 27-25 on Nikki Rowland's three-pointer. After Scott made one of two free throw's with 1:15 to play to put the Seahawks up by one, the two teams exchanged several missed shots, but it was Lisa Daciek's jumper from the right wing as time expired that gave St. Mary's a 28-27 lead at the break.

Neither team shot exceptionally well. The Seahawks were 10-of-29 (35%) from the floor as they missed all four three-point attempts. They also made eight of 16 free throws. Christopher Newport was just 10-of-34 (29%) from the field as nothing was falling for the Lady Captains. They were 2-of-7 (29%) from downtown and 5-of-6 (83%) from the stripe.

In the second half, CNU quickly sprinted out to a 10-point lead, as they opened the half on an 18-7 run to lead 45-35 with 11:05 to go on Shantel Burwell's bucket in the paint. CNU would increase its lead to as many as 12, 53-41, with 4:52 to go on Davis's lay-up in the lane.

The Lady Captains defense also stepped up in the second half as they allowed just two St. Mary's field goals in the first 15 minutes. The Seahawks, however, would not go quitely as they would battle to the end. But the Lady Captains were able to answer any St. Mary's runs. The Seahawks would cut the lead to as few as five, but CNU hit 11 of 12 free throws over the final two minutes to secure the win.

St. Mary's was just 7-of-39 (18%) from the floor in the second half and 0-of-4 from behind the arc. They did hit 14-of-18 (78%) free throws in the second stanza. CNU was 12-of-34 (35%) from the field, 2-of-5 from long range and 13-of-16 (81%) from the stripe.

For the game, the Seahawks were 17-of-68 (25%) from the field, 0-of-8 on three-point attempts and 22-of-30 (73%) from the free throw line. Christopher Newport finished 22-of-68 (32%) from the floor and 4-of-12 (33%) on three's.

One difference in this contest was the points off the bench. St. Mary's has just eight players on their roster and all of them saw action. Only eight points were scored off the Seahawk bench and all eight came from one player. The Lady Captains were able to score 22 points off their bench.

Allie Scott paced St. Mary's with 22 points on 5-of-15 shooting but scored 12 points via the free throw. Stephanie Saint-Aubin added 12 points and Daciek finished with 12 rebounds.

Rowland paced CNU with 19 points and she also tied her career-high with 11 rebounds. She was also honored before the game for scoring her 1,000th career point while the team was on its trip to Hawaii. She also had five assists.

Alicia Bessey added 14 points off the bench and Davis finished with 13. Dee Luck also tied her career-high with 13 rebounds.

The Seahawks fall to 4-5 on the year while Christopher Newport improves to 6-3. CNU is in the midst of three games in five days. Game two comes Thursday as they travel to Catholic with tip off set for 6 pm.

Box Score