Box Score Hynes Nets 10 of 15 Points in 2nd Half to Lead Undefeated Camels Past Jumbos
NEW LONDON, Conn.--Mairead Hynes (Mahopac, N.Y.) scored 10 of her 15 points in the second half to lead the Connecticut College women's basketball team to a 61-55 victory against Tufts University at Luce Field House Saturday.
The Camels improve their record to 8-0 with the home victory. The Jumbos, ranked ninth nationally, fell to 5-2 with the loss.
Hynes added eight rebounds, two steals, one block and one assist to her stat line. He four offensive boards played a major role in the outcome of the contest.
Rookie point guard Kylie Caouette (Ashburnham, Mass.) chipped in with 14 points and two assists. Natalia Baum (West Springfield, Mass.) was 4-for-5 from the field and 2-for-2 from long distance en route to her 12 point effort. Junior Liz Malman (Mendham, N.J.) finished with nine points, six assists and four steals for the winning side.
"That was a terrific college basketball game between two talented and competitive teams," Connecticut College Head Coach Brian Wilson said. "We tip our cap to Tufts playing without their head coach and coming back from a large 4th quarter deficit to make the game as tight as it was down the stretch. I thought our team showed tremendous grit in the fourth quarter - that was the first time we faced significant adversity during the course of a game. We didn't show the type of late-game poise that we know we're going to need as the season progresses but we made critical defensive plays and free throws in the final three minutes. I think our team learned a lot about ourselves this afternoon. It is a great way for our student-athletes to end the first semester and a significant win for our program."
Tufts University junior center Michela North (Duxbury, Mass.) erupted with a game-high 26 points and 12 rebounds en route to a double-double. North was 11-for-21 from the field and 4-for-6 at the foul line. Senior guard Emma Roberson (Arlington, Mass.) chipped in with 10 points, six rebounds, two steals and two assists. Sophomore guard Lauren Dillon (Wellesley, Mass.) added eight points, four rebounds and four assists in the setback for the Jumbos.
The Camels built a 14-12 advantage after one quarter of action. In the latter stages of the second quarter, the hosts found some breathing room by scoring the final eight points of the half. Willa McKinley (Westport, N.Y.) buried a jumper and followed that up with a trey before Baum closed out the half with a three-ball of her own with 37 seconds left and the hosts carried a 29-20 lead into the break.
The Camels scored the first six points in the second half to build a 15-point advantage. Hynes capped the 14-0 run when she knocked down a jumper with 7:27 to go in the third to put the Camels on top and in control with a 35-20 lead. The Jumbos stuck around for a while and when Katy Hicks dialed long distance with a triple from the left side of the arc with 51 seconds left, the visitors' deficit was 49-36 after three quarters of play.
The visitors opened the fourth quarter with a 15-5 run, pulling to within 54-51 when Roberson knocked down a three with 3:19 remaining. But the Camels were able to clamp down defensively and Payton Ouimette (Medfield, Mass.) netted a pair of free throws with 30 seconds to go that pushed the Camel lead back to 58-52.
Josie Lee (Augusta, Maine) netted a three-pointer for the visitors to trim the deficit to 60-55 in the final seconds but Caouette added a free throw for the Camels and the hosts celebrated with a 61-55 triumph.
Connecticut College shot 77% from the foul line and out-scored the visitors 17-to-9 at the charity stripe.
