Box Score
Williamstown, MA- Williams fights off a tough Eastern Connecticut team to win 64-54. The win improved Williams to 18-1, while Eastern Connecticut fell to 12-6.
The Ephs struggled shooting but both Chessie Jackson and Jennie Harding were able to post double-doubles. Jackson had 11 points and 12 rebounds, Harding had 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Warriors were lead by Tanisha Carter who also secured a double-double. She had 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
Williams' next game will be Saturday at home at 4:00 p.m. versus Middlebury.
Towards the end of the first half and the start of the second half the momentum started to shift in Williams' favor. The score was 20-17 with the Warriors in the lead with 3:50 left. Coming out of a timeout, Grace Rehnquist hit a three which ended a five-minute scoreless drought by Williams. Eastern Connecticut responded with Piper Chapman coming off a screen and hitting an elbow jumper.
With the half winding down Chessie Jackson started to heat up and hit a three after a Danny Rainer offensive rebound. On the next possession Jackson set a screen for Jill Greenberg then popped out behind the arc and drilled another three sending Williams into the half up 26-24.
To start the second half Claire Baecher grabbed an offensive rebound took one dribble went back up making the basket and getting fouled in the process. She converted on the three point play by adding the foul shot. Then Taylor Shea ran the floor, was rewarded with a good pass, and finally got a layup to fall for her on a tough shooting night.
The Eastern Connecticut head coach sensed the momentum shifting towards Williams and was forced to call a timeout with 16:43 remaining in the game and the score reading 33-27 Williams. Yet the timeout did not slow Williams down and they continued to increase their lead and went on to win.
Williams started off uncharacteristically sluggish and fell behind 9-7 early. Jennie Harding had a nice move early going behind her back to shed her defender and then threw a perfect bounce pass to Rainer for the layup.
In response to her team's slow start Coach Manning said, "The pace was much too slow for us and when we did try and push the pace we made some mistakes."
Both teams went ice cold with about 8:20 left in the first half. Neither team scored a point for almost four minutes when Brittany Whiteley had a nice wrap around pass to Carter to put the Warriors up 20-17 with 3:50 remaining in the half.
Both teams shot poorly in the first half, Williams only shooting 29.4% and Eastern shooting 35.5%. Both teams also had 10 turnovers.
Chessie Jackson kept Williams in the game scoring all of her 11 points in the first half shooting 3-5 from behind the arch.
After the Williams run at the beginning of the second half they stayed hot. Rainer made a long two from the corner of an inbounds pass. Then Rehnquist and Greenberg hit threes on back to back possessions to put Williams up 45-33 with 11:20 left in the game.
Eastern would not go away and managed to keep it close. Jessica Moriarty missed a shot but battled to get her own rebound and then put it back in. Eastern was able to close the lead to within nine with 9:00 left but never got any closer than that.
Coach Pat Manning on Eastern Connecticut, "They play real tough and physical and are a very athletic team. We scheduled them on purpose because we wanted to play a good out of conference team."
Eastern's toughness was reflected in the rebounding with Eastern securing 52 rebounds compared to Williams' 46. This is saying a lot considering that Williams is hardly ever out rebounded.
Jill Greenberg iced the game when she stole the ball in the backcourt and took it herself scoring on a layup. The layup put Williams up 59-46 and forced an Eastern timeout with 2:40 remaining in the game.
Other Williams players in double figures were Greenberg with 12 points and Baecher adding 11. Joining Carter in double figures was Amanda Pierlioni had 12 points and six rebounds.
Williams finished the game shooting 34.8% and Eastern finished shooting 29.9%.
