CINCINNATI, Ohio – Playing in its first-ever postseason game, the William and Mary women's basketball team quickly learned the magic and the heartbreak of March, falling 57-56 at Xavier in the First Round of the Women's Basketball Invitational. Sophomore
Alexandra Masaquel had a career night scoring 18 points to lead the Tribe. With the decision, W&M concludes the season with a 15-16 record, while Xavier, which advances, improves to 18-14.
Masaquel added six rebounds and a steal to go along with her career-high 18 points. Sophomore Latrice Hunter finished the game with nine points, one assist and two steals off of the bench.
Xavier opened the game on an 11-3 run, building a lead by that same score with 14:06 left in the half. Briana Glover scored the game's first four points, before Raeshaun Gaffney hit a layup. After a Tribe basket, Gaffney connected again. W&M had a free throw, before Leah Shaefer hit a layup, and Gaffney hit a free throw, ending the run.
Trailing by seven, 24-17, W&M used a quick 4-0 run to cut the lead to three points. Masaquel connected a layup, before sophomore Marlena Tremba hit a jumper. However, Xavier hit a basket with just three seconds left, giving the Musketeers a 26-21 advantage at the break.
Masaquel scored 12 points to pace the Tribe in the first half. W&M shot just 31-percent (9-of-29), while the Musketeers shot 46.2-percent (12-of-26) in the first half.
Early in the second half, W&M used a 6-0 run to knot the score at 34-34, the first tie of the game. Masaquel scored the team's first four points of the run, before sophomore Kasey Curtis hit a layup to tie.
After the Musketeers took a four-point lead, the Tribe responded with a 17-2 spurt to take its largest lead of the night, 51-40, with 5:37 left. Senior Jazmen Boone sparked the run with a layup, before classmate Kyla Kerstetter tied the game with a jumper. A layup from freshman Abby Rendle gave the Tribe its first lead, before Kerstetter scored again to push the lead to 44-38. After a Musketeers basket, Hunter canned a triple and a layup, before Kerstetter hit a layup to give the Tribe the 11-point cushion.
The Musketeers came storming back and used a 9-3 run over the final 2:55 to escape with a 57-56 victory. Glover sparked the run with a jumper, before Gaffney hit a layup and completed a traditional three-point play, tying the game. Tremba buried a pair of free throws, before Glover hit a jumper, tying the score again. W&M went 1-of-2 from the line on the next trip down, before Jenna Crittendon drove to the hoop and hit a runner, giving Xavier a 57-56 lead.
With four seconds left, Tremba had a good look from 3-point range, but it rimmed out. The rebound bounced around until time expired.
After struggling from the field in the first half W&M shot 50-percent (15-of-30) from the field in the closing stanza, finishing the game at 40.7-percent (24-of-59). Xavier shot 50-percent (25-of-50) from the field in the game.
Kerstetter scored seven points off of the bench, adding five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Boone added seven points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals for the Tribe, which had a balanced attack.
Glover led the Musketeers with 20 points and three rebounds, leading three Xavier players in double-figures. Gaffeney added 16 points, while Crittendon chipped in 10 points.
The Tribe concludes the season with 15 wins, which is tied for fourth most in school history. W&M also held a lead in all 31 games they played this season. The 15 wins are a seven-win turnaround from one season ago.
Be sure to stay tuned to TribeAthletics.com for all Tribe women's basketball needs throughout the offseason.
