Providence College Athletics
Providence College
1-4
Quinnipiac
1-2
Women's Hoops Loses Overtime Heartbreaker To Quinnipiac, 83-80
11/29/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 29, 2005
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College women's basketball team lost an overtime, heartbreaker to Quinnipiac University, 83-80, at Alumni Hall/Mullaney Gymnasium in Providence, R.I. on Tuesday, November 29. Five Friars reached double figures in scoring, led by fifth-year senior Gayle Nwafili (Maplewood, N.J.) and sophomore Kristen Brown (River Vale, N.J.) who each posted a double-double. Nwafili finished the night with a season-high 20 points and 12 rebounds. Brown posted career-highs with 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Quinnipiac's Monique Lee poured in a game-high 26 points and added 11 rebounds in the victory.
The Friars never trailed in the first half and held a 38-32 lead at halftime. PC led by as many as 10 points in the half (38-28), but the Bobcats scored four unanswered points in the final 46 seconds to get within six (38-32). Providence maintained its lead until 11:12 left in the regulation, as Erin Kerner hit a lay-up for Quinnipiac to put them ahead by one point (48-47). The Friars responded with a 14-6 scoring run to take a seven-point advantage (61-54) with 7:30 remaining on the clock.
Quinnipiac battled back to tie the game at 63-63 with 4:39 on the clock and took a 65-63 lead on a lay-up from Kathleen Neyens at 4:02. Providence regained it's lead and led by three points (71-68) as freshman Chelsea Marandola (Johnston, R.I.) netted two free throws with 25 seconds remaining. With 11-seconds left, Quinnipiac hit a lay-up to inch within one point (71-70). The Friars called a time out and turned the ball over on the ensuing inbounds pass. Quinnipiac missed a lay-up to win the game, but Brianna Rooney secured the rebound and was fouled as time expired. With the Bobcats trailing by one point (71-70), Rooney missed the first free throw and made the second to tie the game and force overtime (71-71).
The five-minute overtime session featured five lead changes as the two teams exchanged baskets. The Friars led by one point (80-79) with 38 seconds left in OT as Nwafili hit the one of two free throws. Quinnipiac rebounded the miss off the second attempt and called a time out. Rooney drove into the lane with nine seconds left on the clock and drew a foul on Marandola. The Friars were then assessed a technical foul on the play. Rooney made one of two free-throws on the technical foul to tie the game, 80-80. She then connected on one of two free throws on the initial foul call, as the Bobcats were already in the double-bonus. Rooney missed the first and made the second and gave the Bobcats an 81-80 lead. After the make, PC called a timeout to set up a play to potentially win the game. With nine seconds left, PC inbounded the ball and turned it over with four ticks left on the clock. Quinnipiac inbounded the ball to Lee, who scored her final two points of the game to give her team an 83-80 win.
Joining Nwafili and Brown in double figures for Providence was freshman Ashley Etheridge (Portland, Conn.) with a career-high 14 points, junior Kristina Baugh (Boston, Mass.) with 13 points and Marandola with 12. Marandola narrowly missed her second collegiate double-double with nine rebounds.
Rooney finished the game with 16 points for Quinnipiac. Kerner netted 13 points and dished a team-high four assists, while Neyens contributed 12 points in the effort.
Providence (1-4) returns to action on Friday, December 2 against Navy. The game will be played at Alumni Hall/Mullaney Gymnasium in Providence, R.I. and is scheduled to tip-off at 5:00 p.m.
