Washington Fends Off Late Charge from Ursinus

Highlights

COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Washington College women's basketball team withstood a late charge from host Ursinus to tie the 2011-12 team for most Centennial Conference wins in a single season with its 11th conference win in a 47-38 victory on Saturday afternoon at Helfferich Hall in Centennial Conference women's basketball action.  The Shorewomen improve to 15-8 on the season and 11-7 in the Centennial, while the Bears drop to 3-19 and 3-14 respectively. 

Washington College 47 Ursinus 38

How It Happened
- The Bears jumped out to a 10-2 lead on a putback layup by Chinwe Irondi with 2:30 remaining in the opening quarter.  The lay-in was the first time in the game that either team led by more than one possession.
- Andrea Prestianne capped a 7-0 run for the Shorewomen on a pair of free throws with 28 seconds left in the first quarter to cut the lead to 10-9.  Sarah DiLillo netted two free throws with 1.7 left to give Ursinus a 12-9 lead after one.
- Washington scored the first six points of the second quarter to grab a 15-12 lead, an advantage it would relinquish, with 3:02 to go on a Joy Sanders banker.  The Shorewomen took a 19-16 lead into halftime.
- In the third quarter, Washington took its first double-digit lead with 1:22 left on a Rachel Thiem three-pointer from the right corner, 33-22, to cap an 8-0 run.  The guests would take a 33-24 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
- WC scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to take its biggest lead of the day at 14 points, 38-24, with 7:42 to go on a Prestianne foul shot.
- The Shorewomen led 42-30 with 2:35 remaining on a Crystal Jones free throw before the Bears scored eight unanswered points to trim the lead to 42-38 with 45 ticks left on an Irondi conventional three-point play.
- Prestianne would end the run with a free throw with 41 seconds left as she hit the second.
- On the ensuing Ursinus possession, WC's Serena Pluta drew an offensive foul, and Madeline Williams was fouled after receiving the inbounds pass and canned both from the foul line to give the Shorewomen a 45-38 lead with 26 seconds left.
- Prestianne finished the scoring on a pair from the foul line with 15 ticks left.

For The Shorewomen (15-8, 11-7 CC)
- Jones (career-high 11 rebounds to lead team and team-best 10 points for double-double), Prestianne (nine points), Lizzie Hudock (two steals)  
- WC shot 28% from the floor (16-for-57), 13% from three-point range (2-for-15) and 72% (13-for-18) from the foul line in the game.
- Washington held a 54-31 advantage in rebounds in the win.
- The Shorewomen turned it over 14 times.
- WC outscored Ursinus in points in the paint, 14-8, points off turnovers, 12-10, second-chance points, 11-10, bench points, 12-4, and transition points, 4-3.

For Ursinus (3-19, 3-14 CC)
- Irondi (game-highs of 13 points and 14 boards for double-double to go along with a game-best four blocks), Kelly Grant (game-topping three assists)
- The Bears shot 23% from the floor (12-for-53), 24% from three-point land (7-for-29) and 64% from the free throw stripe (7-for-11).
- Ursinus had 14 turnovers in the game.

Notes
- The 2011-12 team went 11-9 in the conference, winning its last five, and 16-9 overall.
- The 15 wins this season is the most for WC since the 2011-12 campaign.
- Washington swept Ursinus for the first time since the 2008-09 season when the Shorewomen won 76-49 on the road and 63-54 at home.  It is the third time the Shorewomen have won both meetings against the Bears in a season, also achieving it in 1999-2000.
- Jones registered her second double-double of the season and the team's seventh overall.

Up Next
2/14 @ Muhlenberg – 7:00 p.m. (Centennial Conference Game)