By Chris McLaughlin
Despite Brown University’s second half comeback, the CCSU women’s basketball team came out on top 52-44.
The win was the Blue Devil’s second of the season as they improve to 2-0 for the first time since the 1998-99 season. With the victory, CCSU was able to redeem its loss to Brown from last season, in which the team lost at the buzzer.
“We played ugly basketball in the second half, but we won so we have to stay positive,” said Head Coach Beryl Piper.
CCSU began the game trading baskets with Brown until a 14-0 run by CCSU allowed the Blue Devils to blow the game open. The run started when the score was still tied at 12, completely changing the complexion of the game. Hot shooting coupled with a series of traveling violations by Brown allowed CCSU’s lead to grow.
During the run, CCSU showed how versatile the team could be as the ball was pounded down in the paint, and also stepped out beyond the arc and knocked down threes. Kirsten Daamen got CCSU going with her work down in the post, while Alexzandria Dowdy and Leanne Crockett hit three three-pointers between them during this stretch to put CCSU in the driver’s seat.
“Any time you score on the outside shots it really gets you going and you play with more confidence,” said Piper. “We were also able to take advantage of our size and post up very well getting a lot of scores in the paint.”
CCSU ended the first half with a comfortable 37-19 lead. The Blue Devils outscored Brown 18-8 in the paint and scored 14 points off turnovers in a one-sided first-half.
While the second half started out with CCSU firmly in control, several turnovers allowed Brown to creep back into the game. The Blue Devils made 12 turnovers, and were outscored 25-15 in the second half.
Although turnovers significantly contributed to the lead dwindling, CCSU also shot from a much lower percentage. During the first the Blue Devils shot 46 percent from the field, but in the second they shot only 26 percent.
“I’m much happier about the first half than the second,” said Piper. “In the second we became frantic and were all over the place. We killed ourselves on turnovers; we need to do a better job at getting organized, and play for the full 40 minutes.”
While the Blue Devils struggled, Kerrianne Dugan stepped up and willed CCSU to the victory. She was CCSU’s leading scorer with 12, and was the only one who scored more than one field goal in the second half. Dugan also came close to a double-double with nine rebounds during the game, including four in the second half.
“We knew they were going to shoot a lot, so I was focused on getting rebounds,” said Dugan. “I wasn’t hitting my shot at first so I knew I had to do the other things.”
The play of the freshmen also contributed to CCSU holding off a surging Brown. Jaleen Thomas had three points and five rebounds, and Lauren Arbogast came up with a key steal and a couple rebounds.
“Jaleen came in and gave us really good minutes, and Lauren’s play was really good as well,” said Piper.
Although Brown brought the pressure in the second half, the Bears ran out of time as CCSU’s first half lead was too much for them to overcome. Even though the Blue Devils play in the second half left much to be desired, the team was able to do enough to win the game.
Coach Piper and her team will have to put the second half behind them, and remember that the Blue Devils did pick up the win, setting the team up with momentum to go on the road for over a month.
“We have some tough games coming up,” said Piper. “Maine will be another revenge match because they beat us last year and after that we have to take it one game at a time.”
The Blue Devils will begin its long road trip in Maine, where the team looks to go 3-0 for the first time since the 1986-87 season. The Blue Devils next home game will be on Sunday December 19 when they face off against New Hampshire.