BOX SCORE
BRUNSWICK, Maine – After a two year absence, the Bowdoin
College women's basketball team is returning to the
“Sweet Sixteen”. The Polar Bears defeated Western
Connecticut State University 65-43 on Saturday evening in the
Second Round of the NCAA Tournament and, after two straight
second-round exits on last-second losses, return to the Round of 16
for the first time since the 2006-07 season.
The Polar Bears (22-6) advance to play Kean University next
Friday. Sectional sites will be announced on Sunday afternoon. The
Colonials finish their season with a record of 23-6.
The Polar Bear defense clamped down on the Colonials in the
first half, holding them a season-low in points in a half with 15.
As the visitors went 3-17 from the field, Bowdoin connected on 50%
of their shots in the period, including eight points and nine
rebounds from Leah Rubega. Bowdoin used a key 15-1 surge midway
through the half to take command, stretching their lead from four
points to 18 in less than seven minutes of play.
Bowdoin carried a 31-15 edge into the break, handing Western
Connecticut their largest halftime deficit of the season.
Western Connecticut opened the second period on a 14-6 run and
drew within eight points, 37-29, after a Katie Moffo three-pointer
and running lay-in by Karli Spera with under 16 minutes to play.
But Caitlin Hynes stemmed the tide for Bowdoin, hitting an
improbable lay-up and earning a foul to push the lead back to 11
and spark a decisive 12-2 run for the Polar Bears that put
the game out of reach. Consecutive hoops by Hynes pushed the lead
to 49-31 with ten minutes to go and Western Connecticut could get
no closer than 15 points as Bowdoin extended their lead to as many
as 23 points in the closing moments.
Caitlin Hynes led all scorers with 17 points and collected four
blocks for the Polar Bears. Leah Rubega had 14 points and a dozen
boards. Karli Spera led Western Connecticut with 14 points and
seven rebounds.
The Colonials finished with a season-low 43 points and connected
on just 28.6% of their shots from the field, including 2-of-17 from
three-point range.
Photos courtesy of Michele Stapleton
Photography
