Second Half run push Seahawks past Tribe | News

WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia – Junior Jessica Freeman scored a
career-high 20 points to lead five players in double figures as UNCW defeated
William and Mary, 78-71, in Colonial Athletic Association women's basketball
action Sunday at Kaplan Arena.

In a back-and-forth contest that featured a total of
eight ties and 15 lead changes, The Seahawks improved to 16-10 overall and 9-6
in the CAA and maintained a share of fourth place in the CAA. The Tribe,
meanwhile, slipped to 10-16 and 3-12.

Freeman was 9-of-16 from the floor to highlight a
Seahawks lineup that shot 46.7 percent from the field for the contest and
matched the program record made three pointers in a contest with 11 as it shot
44 percent from beyond the arc.

Junior Tawanna Lee chipped in 14 points, junior Karneshia
Garrett added 13 and sophomore Abria Trice finished with 12. Sophomore Alisha
Andrews notched 11 points and dished out a game-high 10 assists for her second double-double
of the season.

Junior Jaclyn McKenna tallied 18 points to lead three
William and Mary players in double figures. Senior Taysha Pye pitched in 15 and
junior Taylor Hilton notched 12. Senior Katherine DeHenzel handed out a
team-high eight assists and pitched in seven points.

Trailing 49-48 with 11:23 remaining, a three-pointer from
the right elbow by Andrews sparked a 22-10 spurt for the Seahawks that lasted
6:45 and gave UNCW its largest lead of the game, 70-59, with 4:38 on the clock.

A free-throw by McKenna at the 4:10 mark ended the spurt
and sparked the Tribe to a 10-4 run that made it a 74-69 contest spurt with 48
seconds on the clock.

Andrews would push the Seahawks cushion back to eight
moments later, hitting one of two free throws before converting a steal and
layup opportunity to make it a 77-69 game with 30 seconds remaining. A basket
by McKenna and a free throw by Trice determined the final seven-point margin.

In the first half, Pye rattled off seven straight points
to give William and Mary a 14-8 lead, only to see the Seahawks score 10 of the
next 12 points to take an 18-16 lead midway through the frame.

The two sides would then proceed to trade baskets over
the final 11:15 of the first half as neither side would hold a lead of more of
three points the rest of the opening stanza. A Garrett three pointer from the
top of the key at the buzzer, one of seven in the half for the Seahawks, would
give UNCW a 38-35 lead at the break.

The two teams continued to keep it close early in the
second half. A 6-2 spurt gave the Seahawks a 46-42 lead, only to see the Tribe
score seven of the next nine points to take a 49-48 edge and set up the
Seahawks game-changing run.

Both teams return to action Thursday with league
contests. UNCW hosts Towson while W&M is at Drexel. Tip off for both games
is set for 7 p.m.