Over Thanksgiving break, William and Mary women’s basketball (2-4, 0-0 CAA) split a pair of games, falling 64-53 to a sharp-shooting Howard (6-3, 0-0 MEAC) Sunday, Nov. 23, before defeating Tennessee State (1-6, 0-0 OVC) 64-53 Saturday, Nov. 29. Despite the loss to Howard, junior guard Cassidy Geddes delivered the best performance of her career at Burr Gymnasium in Washington, D.C., posting her first-ever double-double with 17 points and ten rebounds for the Tribe.
William and Mary entered the contest looking to snap a two-game losing streak, but early offensive struggles and 22 turnovers proved costly against the Bison.
The Green and Gold opened the game with strong energy but found itself unable to convert on offense, hitting just two of 13 field goal attempts in the first quarter. After nearly seven minutes without a bucket, freshman forward Amelia Basit scored William and Mary’s first points of the afternoon, finishing a layup off a feed from junior guard Kyah Smith at the 2 minute, 36 second mark. The Bison controlled the pace early, capitalizing on Tribe defensive lapses and scoring efficiently to build a 19-8 lead. Geddes knocked down two free throws in the final seconds of the quarter, slightly narrowing the margin heading into the second.
The Tribe’s momentum shifted midway through the second quarter as the visitors mounted a 7-0 run fueled by defensive intensity and improved movement on offense. Freshman guard Dynasti Pierce knocked down a three-pointer at 5:19, cutting Howard’s lead to 23-15 and injecting life into the William and Mary bench. Sophomore forward Natalie Fox anchored the defense with a block and multiple rebounds, while Geddes added a crucial tip-in at the 3 minute mark. Despite turnovers and foul trouble, the Tribe pieced together a strong end to the half, highlighted by a Geddes jumper with 37 seconds left. The Green and Gold outscored the Bison 17-16 in the period, trimming the deficit to 35-25 at the break.
The third quarter proved to be the most competitive stretch for the Tribe. William and Mary attacked the paint with urgency, opening the period on a 10-4 run. Geddes continued her offensive surge, knocking down a three-pointer at 6:05 that energized the visitors and cut into the Bison’s lead. Junior guard Monet Dance followed with a strong drive and layup at the 1:25 mark, bringing the Green and Gold within striking distance. However, Howard freshman guard Emma Nuquay responded with a momentum-shifting three-pointer with 11 seconds remaining. Once again, William and Mary outscored Howard 16-13 in the quarter, but the Tribe still trailed 48-41 heading into the final period.
The fourth quarter began with another push from the Green and Gold. Smith opened the scoring with a layup at 9:42, and Dance converted a three-point play less than a minute later, tightening the score once again. Every time the Tribe threatened, however, Howard had an answer. The Bison capitalized on William and Mary turnovers and earned critical points at the free throw line, slowly extending their lead back into the double digits. Smith buried a late three-pointer at 1:35, but the deficit proved too large to overcome as Howard sealed the 64-53 win.
Despite the loss, several Tribe players posted standout performances. Fox dominated the boards with 13 rebounds, continuing her strong streak of interior play. Dance added 12 points, while Smith contributed nine points and four assists.
“Howard was a top-14 in the country mid-major, which we knew would be a tough opponent, but an opponent that would definitely prepare us for [Coastal Athletic Association] play come the end of December, early January,” head coach Erin Dickerson Davis said.
Six days later, William and Mary captured its first non-conference road win since 2023, defeating Tennessee State 64–53 at the Gentry Center Complex in Nashville, Tenn. Dance led the way with a season-high 22 points, including a perfect seven-of-seven performance at the free-throw line, powering a strong second-half surge for the Tribe.
The Tribe forced 26 TSU turnovers, converting them into 26 points that proved decisive in a tight game.
William and Mary set the pace of the early game behind two blocks and three steals from Fox. Dance ignited the offense at the 6:42 mark, drilling a fast-break three-pointer that pushed the visitors ahead. Both teams struggled to generate consistent scoring throughout the opening frame, but the Tribe’s defensive pressure held firm as it carried an 11-6 lead into the first quarter.
Tennessee State responded early in the second quarter, briefly reclaiming the lead before William and Mary mounted a 6-0 run. Dance’s layup at 2:23 capped the spurt and nudged the visitors back in front, 19-18. However, the Tigers closed the half strong, stringing together a 6-0 burst of their own to enter halftime with a 24-19 advantage in a low-scoring, defensive battle.
The tide turned in the third quarter as the Tribe found its rhythm on both ends. Junior guard Aislinn Gibson drilled a critical three-pointer at the 4:16 mark to give William and Mary a one-point lead, and the Green and Gold continued to chip away by attacking the paint and earning trips to the free-throw line. The Tribe converted 11 of 14 free throws in the period, a mark that proved crucial during a tightly contested stretch. Fox delivered a key sequence late in the quarter, finishing a layup and sinking the ensuing free throw at 1:07 to tie the game at 40. The score would settle at 43-43 entering the fourth.
William and Mary seized control early in the final quarter. Dance’s layup at 9:42 tied the score once more, sparking a run of efficient offensive possessions. Senior guard Alexa Mikeska and Fox added critical baskets, while the Tribe continued to dominate on the offensive glass and convert second-chance opportunities. Dance delivered the defining play of the quarter at 6:16, finishing through contact for a three-point play that put William and Mary in front for good.
From there, the Tribe’s depth and defense closed the door. Geddes and Pierce added timely scoring, while Pierce’s defensive effort — including two late blocks — helped hold the Tigers to just ten points in the fourth quarter. Behind suffocating pressure, strong rebounding, and clutch execution, William and Mary secured the 64-53 victory.
Dance’s 22 points led all scorers, while Mikeska turned in a standout two-way performance with nine points and four steals. Fox added 11 points, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals in a balanced showing.
Dickerson Davis compared the playstyles of Howard and Tennessee State, noting that both teams “pressured us, they pressed us, they played fast and in transition … so being able to play against a very talented, very veteran Howard team definitely prepared us for Tennessee State.”
The Tribe coach went on to express pride in her team, which secured its first Division I victory of the season against the Tigers.
“Despite all the adversity, I think it was very meaningful for our team and something that we’ll continue to take with us to end this non-conference,” Dickerson Davis said.
For her squad to extend its win into a winning streak, Dickerson Davis said it will have to start converting its triples, as it is shooting just 20.1% from beyond the arc this season.
“We have really good three-point shooters on this team, which is why we keep shooting them, because we know that this team is capable of making the three,” Dickerson Davis said. “I think we’re just trying to figure out how to get them out of their heads a little bit, how to relieve some of the pressure.”
The Tribe now turns its attention to Wednesday’s matchup against Wake Forest (9-0, 0-0 ACC) at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C.
