ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Ten different players entered their name on the scoresheet, with five in double figures, as William & Mary women’s basketball coasted to a 81-53 victory over Navy on Sunday.
The 28-point margin was the Tribe’s largest win since November of 2021 when they beat Randolph by 52. The win is the largest margin over a DI opponent since January of 2020.
After Navy (3-5, 0-0 Patriot) opened the game up 5-1, the Tribe caught fire from the floor, making five consecutive shots including two triples each from Rebekah Frisby-Smith and Bella Nascimento, to take a 15-8 lead.
The Tribe continued their offensive prowess for the remained of the quarter, as Nylah Young finished off a layup just before the horn to give the Green and Gold a 25-13 lead after the opening 10 minutes.
Nasciemento, who finished with a team-high 14 points, had eight after the first, while Young and Frisby-Smith each had six through the first quarter.
After a 3-pointer from Alexa Mikeska and a Kayla Beckwith layup, W&M (3-5, 0-0 CAA) was up 33-17 with 5:15 to go in the half. The Mids, who trailed by as much as 18 in the first half, made a 6-0 run of their own to make the score 39-27 at the break.
W&M was 45% from the floor in the first 20 minutes, while also going a blistering 5-for-8 from three.
Nascimento and Kayla Rolph kicked off the third quarter with a bucket and a triple respectively to set the tone of the quarter. The Tribe would outscore Navy 23-13 in the third, capped off by seven consecutive points from Cate Carslon, to lead 62-40.
Carlson finished with a career-high 10 points off the bench.
Up by 22, the Tribe kept up their intensity in the final frame, led by Anahi-Lee Cauley, who scored nine of her career-high 11 points in the fourth.
When the dust had settled the Tribe improved to 3-5 with a 81-53 win in Annapolis.
Truly a team effort, all 13 active players for W&M saw at least four minutes of game action. Beckwith led the defensive effort for the Tribe with a career-high five blocked shots, while Cassidy Geddes snagged four steals on the afternoon.
Rolph finished right behind Nascimento in scoring with 12, while Beckwith also scored 10 points to add to her stellar game and be the fifth Tribe player in double-figures.
19 of W&M’s 27 field goals were assisted, with Nascimento handing out five helpers and Mikeska four.
The Tribe knocked down a season-high nine 3-pointers and shot 48% from the floor, also a season-high.
W&M forced Navy into 22 turnovers, scoring 26 points off them. The Midshipmen only turned the Tribe’s 14 turnovers into five points on the day.
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