Women’s basketball: College prevails in double overtime

William and Mary’s women’s team defeated Northeastern Super Bowl Sunday, 72-66, in a matchup that was closer than the big game later that night.

The Tribe went on the road and won in double-overtime, its third win in a row. The College improved to 10-11 overall (4-6 CAA), while Northeastern dropped to 4-16 (1-9 CAA). The Tribe lost seven games in a row earlier in the season, but appears to have put the slide behind it and is heating up during the middle of conference play.

The game started poorly for the Tribe; the Huskies were able to grab a 21-13 lead with just a little over five minutes left in the first half. Aside from a 2-2 tie early on, the College spent the first 15 minutes of the game trailing. However, the Tribe made multiple three-pointers in quick succession and ended the half on an 11-2 run, heading to the locker room with 24-23 lead.

The second half was more of a back-and-forth affair. Sophomore guard Marlena Tremba played well in the second half, leading all players with nine points. Both teams claimed the lead multiple times, but neither was able to sustain control. Neither the Tribe nor the Huskies ever led by more than four points, and were tied several times. With a little over four minutes left, a Northeastern player’s three-point shot tied the game at 51.

The teams then went cold for the remainder of the half: The Tribe missed five shots and two free throws, while the Huskies missed four of their own. The deadlock continued until the final buzzer of regulation, sending the game to the College’s third overtime of the season.

With the game tied at 51, the teams entered overtime. The first overtime was low-scoring, as each squad mustered just four points in five minutes. The period ended tied at 55. However, the Tribe’s offense heated up during the second overtime, scoring the first nine points of the period.

Although the Huskies were able to cut the deficit to as few as three points, the College’s early run was too much for the Huskies to overcome. The Tribe put up an impressive 17 points in the second five minute overtime period, more than enough to secure the 72-66 victory.

Tremba led all players in scoring, with 22 on the night. She shot 58 percent in the game, including 40 percent from beyond the arc. Freshman guard Jeanne Gaumont was hot from long range, making 75 percent of her three point shots. Sophomore forward Alexandra Masaquel had a double-double on the night, scoring 13 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Five of Masaquel’s rebounds were on the offensive glass, and she also led the Tribe with four steals.

The College’s excellent ball control proved key to the win. The College snagged 16 steals and forced 29 Northeastern turnovers. The Huskies finished the game with just five takeaways.

Although the Tribe managed to win, the College has had some recent offensive struggles. The team has scored more than 60 points in regulation just once in the past nine games. In its first 12 games of the season, the Tribe to scored over 60-points seven times.

The Tribe is currently working on a three game road streak and will play at Drexel and Hofstra Feb. 6 and Feb. 8, respectively. The College next returns to Kaplan Arena Feb. 13 to take on Delaware. The Tribe is in seventh place in the Colonial Athletic Association, and the upcoming stretch will be crucial to its final placement in the conference standings.

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