Saturday, February 15, 2025

Second-Quarter Run Sparks W&M Blitz of UNCW

(Tribe Athletics)

WILLIAMSBURG — William & Mary used a 20-2 second-quarter run to open up a massive lead on the way to its third-straight win, 78-55, over UNCW on Friday night at Kaplan Arena.

Sophomore Jana Sallman led all scorers with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting and just missed her second career double-double with a team-high nine rebounds. Junior Kayla Rolph added an impressive 13-point, seven-rebound, four-assist stat line, while senior Bella Nascimento rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points.

After UNCW (9-10, 3-3 CAA) scored first to start the second quarter and close within 20-18, W&M seized control with seven-straight points as part of the game-changing 20-2 run. Junior guard Alexa Mikeska sparked the spurt with five-straight points. She scored on a nice give-and-go with Rebekah Frisby-Smith, before canning a corner 3-pointer to extend the lead to 27-18 and force a UNCW timeout at the 7:26 mark.

Following a pair of Seahawk free throws, the Tribe (7-10, 4-2 CAA) tallied 13 in a row from five different players to push the advantage out to 20. Nascimento and sophomore Monet Dance hit 3-pointers, while freshman Natalie Fox added an old-fashion 3-point play. Freshman Sophia LeGoullon’s hook at the 2:49 mark stretched the cushion to 40-20.The Tribe lead never dipped below 17 the rest of the way.

Sallman, who finished just two points shy of her career high, scored eight of the Tribe’s first 10 points in the second half, before a Nascimento jumper from the right elbow pushed the lead to 59-35 with 5:54 left in the third quarter.

Evan Miller knocked down back-to-back 3’s for the visitors and her lay-up with 1:12 left in the third drew UNCW within 64-47.

The Tribe answered with a 7-0 run spanning end of the third and start of the fourth. Nascimento book ended the stretch with a jumper and a pair of free throws to extend the lead back to 24, 71-47, just over two minutes into the final frame.

W&M’s margin reached its pinnacle at 27, 78-51, following a free throw by freshman Emma West, who celebrated her birthday on Friday. The Tribe led by 20 or more points for the entirity of the fourth quarter before ending up on the final margin of 23.

W&M finished the game at 46.7% (28-of-60) from the floor, including 66.7% (8-of-12) in third quarter. The Tribe took advantage at the free throw line hitting 17-of-20 (85%). The Green and Gold scored 43 points off the bench, outscored the Seahawks, 36-28, in the paint, and forced 20 UNCW turnovers behind 13 steals, turning that into 19 points off turnovers. W&M shared the basketball at a high rate, dishing out 21 assists on its 28 made field goals.

Sophomore Cassidy Geddes tallied a career-high six assists, which is the most for a Tribe player this season. Mikeska added seven points off the bench, while Legoullon recorded six points and a career-high four rebounds.

UNCW’s Ali Zelaya scored the game’s opening four points to give the visitors the lead just over a minute into the contest.

W&M took its first lead, 5-4, on a Geddes 3-pointer and led by four, 14-10, following a Dance steal and fast-break feed to Anahi-Lee Cauley for a lay-up with 5:24 left in the quarter.

UNCW hit seven of its first nine shot and scored six in row, including four from Zelaya, to retake the lead, 16-14, with less than four minutes remaining in the first period.

Sallman gave W&M a huge lift to end the quarter. She scored the period’s final six points in the last 1:46 to second W&M a 20-16 lead at the first break.

Tia Dobson led UNCW with 14 points, while Zelaya, Taylor Henderson, and Miller had 10 each. Zelaya added 10 rebounds for a double-double.

Defensively, W&M limited UNCW to 34.4% (22-of-64) shooting and just 3-of-16 (18.8%) from 3. Dance led the Tribe with three steals.

Up Next
The Tribe welcomes Towson to Kaplan Arena on Sunday, Jan. 26, for the program’s annual Gold Rush. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on FloCollege with Andrew Phillips and Misha Jones ’19 on the call.

Fans are encouraged to wear gold and help us #PakTheKap. The first 500 fans will receive a FREE Gold t-shirt courtesy of Students for University Advancement.

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