WILMINGTON, N.C. – The William & Mary women’s basketball team dropped a road Colonial Athletic Association contest at UNCW 59-44 on Sunday afternoon.
With the decision the Tribe falls to 13-9, 4-7 in CAA play, while the Seahawks improve to 7-15, 3-8 in league action.
Junior Alexandra Masaquel scored team-high 16 points and added eight rebounds for the Tribe. Classmate Marlena Tremba added 11 points, a season-high eight rebounds, and four assists.
Tied at four with 6:13 left in the first quarter, the Seahawks used a 7-0 run to build its largest lead of the half at 11-4. Rebekah Banks opened the run with a jumper, followed by two free throws by Amber Reeves and a triple by Jasmine Steele ended the run.
Down by six points, W&M closed the half on 9-5 run, cutting the score to 25-23 at the break. Tremba opened the run with a jumper, followed by a bucket from freshman Bianca Bogg. Following a UNCW basket, Tremba completed a traditional 3-point play, cutting the score to one point. After Shatia Cole hit a triple, sophomore Jenna Green responded with a layup, cutting the score to a two-point halftime deficit.
After the Tribe tied the score at 29-29, the Seahawks used a 15-2 run to build a 44-31 lead at the end of three quarters. Cole opened the run with a basket, followed by a layup from Banks, a jumper from Reeves, and a free throw from Banks. After a pair of free throws from Masaquel, Madison Raque scored eight straight points, including a tripe as the horn sounded in the third quarter to end the run.
W&M was able to cut the lead to just eight points, 46-38 with 5:44 left in regulation. Tremba hit a triple followed by a steal and basket by Masaquel. UNCW responded with four straight points to all, but seal the game.
Senior Brooke Stewart appeared in her 100th career game on Sunday afternoon. She becomes the fourth Tribe player in the last three years to play her 100 games, joining Kaitlyn Mathieu ’14, Jazmen Boone ’15, and Kyla Kerstetter ’15.
Cole scored a game-high 17 points and added five assists for UNCW. Raque finished with 14 points and Steele added 10 points to round out the double-figures scorers for the Seahawks.
The Green and Gold returns home for a pair of games next weekend as they welcome Hofstra on Friday, before hosting Delaware on Feb. 14. Friday’s game is the Tribe’s annual “Think Pink” game, and all fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game. Tipoff for Friday’s game is set for 7 p.m.
