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AMHERST, MA. – This was what a
Williams-Amherst basketball game should look like—a
highly contested, down to the wire finish. The two conference
rivals met up twice in the regular season with Amherst taking both
contests by 24-point margins. While the Lord Jeffs had
absolutely dominant performances over the Ephs earlier in the
season, today was a different story.
While the Ephs were able to make a great game of it, the third
time was not a charm for the William women's basketball
against the number-one ranked squad in the country as the Lord
Jeffs defeated the Ephs for the third time this season in the Round
of 16 in the NCAA Tournament, 71-66.
“We played a great game,” said Williams' head
coach Pat Manning. “There was that four or five minutes
stretch where things weren't falling for us in the second
half, and we played tentatively. But otherwise we played 35
great minutes, and we pushed them. I am so proud of my team
right now with the effort, and everyone gave everything they had
tonight.”
Amherst has steamrolled through their opponents until today,
having defeated MCLA and Southern Maine in the first two rounds of
the NCAA tournament at home by twenty-plus point margins. The
Lord Jeffs stand perfect on the regular season at 30-0, and will
look to advance to the Final Four tomorrow against Babson for the
second consecutive year. Thirty wins in a season marks a new
program record.
The Ephs finish their season with an overall record of 20-8, a
drastic improvement over last year's 8-17 finish.
Williams redeemed their season after an early exit in the NESCAC
tournament by advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time since
2006. The Ephs defeated Mount St. Mary's and DeSales en
route to this evening's contest.
The game's offense was slow to start for both teams, with
the score knotted at 8-8 with six minutes off the clock
already. The game would remain close until the final five
minutes of the first half when Williams began to find its
groove. A three-pointer from Jennie Harding and fast-break
lay up by Taylor Shea gave the Ephs a four-point lead at
22-18. The Ephs would expand their lead to the largest of the
half at thirteen points off a Grace Rehnquist three to bring the
score to 35-22, and headed into the locker room ahead by twelve,
37-25.
“Our rebounding, and our transition game was really
clicking in the first half,” commented Manning.
“In the second half we went unto the that lull and started
playing a half court game. We stopped running, and it was the
pace that really affected us. We picked it up in the
end and had chances. Our rebounding was still solid but not
as dominant as the first half, but overall the pace of the game in
the second game was what hurt us.”
The Ephs opened the half with three unanswered points to build
their largest lead of the game at 15- points. The deficit was
the largest the Lord Jeffs had seen all season long, but it quickly
disappeared as Amherst turned on their shooting game and slowed
down the Williams transition game. The game was tied at
50-50 with 9:47 to play in regulation before the Lord Jeffs
regained their first lead since the 18-17 mark off a fast break
bucket.
The game was a back-and-forth contest until the final minute
when Amherst built a three-point lead at 66-63 and had a defensive
stop. The Ephs began to send the Lord Jeffs to the free throw
line. They sent Shannon Finucane, an 85% career free throw
shooter, to the line. She made both to bring the lead to five
points. Rehnquist would hit a deep three to slash the lead in
half to three, but Finucane pulled through at the free throw line
again to close the game out at 71-66.
“The team played so hard today,” continued
Manning. “The team was together, and there was
great spirit and teamwork. Everybody on the bench, all 14
players were on the same page and here for one goal. As a
coach that's what it is all about, seeing a team come
together over these four and a half months. They have grown
so much from November to now, and it so encouraging.
That's why to me coaching is the greatest job ever, and
to this group come together is a great sign and step for next
season.”
Taylor Shea finished with a team-high 20 points, and 11 rebounds
for a double double. Jill Greenberg followed up with 16
points, while Harding chipped in 10 points. Rehnquist added
11, while Chessie Jackson grabbed a team-high 14 boards.
Finucane finished with 20 points, while Sarah Leyman added 19
points and 11 rebounds. Marcia Voigt added 11 points off the
bench.
Amherst will face off against Babson College in the Elite 8 at
6:00 p.m. in LeFrak Gymnasium.
