12/29/2001 - Women's Basketball
Women's Hoops Posts Sixth-Straight Win
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Navy converted 14 of 14 free throws in the final 1:52 to hold off Columbia 81-70, Saturday afternoon in Levien Gym in New York City.
Despite shooting a strong 46 percent from the field in the first half, Navy (8-2) found itself trailing at intermission 41-33 thanks to Columbia's (5-5) 59-percent shooting.
Navy would trail by as many as nine points in the second half -- 46-37 with 18:05 to play -- before mounting its comeback. The Mids trailed 59-56 when Courtney Davidson (So., New Oxford, Pa.) drilled a three-point field goal to tie the score, then hit another triple to give Navy a 62-59 lead with 4:37 to play in the game. Davidson was not through as she forced a steal on the next Lion possession and fed Bryanna Herring (So., Columbia, Md.) who made a layup while being fouled to eventually boost the Navy advantage to six points.
Columbia would cut the Navy lead to two points -- 65-63 -- but Herring made a jump shot and then converted a pair of free throws with 1:52 to play to return the Navy lead to eight points. The Lions would get no closer than five points -- 75-70 -- as Navy iced the game at the free throw line.
Navy's win was its sixth-straight, the longest winning streak since the Mids posted eight-straight wins during the 1998-99 campaign. Also, the game marked just the eighth time in school history the Mids have rallied from a halftime deficit of at least eight points to win the game.
Davidson led all scorers with 26 points, with 20 of them coming after halftime, while also leading Navy with six rebounds. Herring totalled 22 points, with 11 coming in each half.
Columbia, which entered the game making 7.5 three-point field goals a game, made five in the first half but was just 1 of 13 after intermission, leading the Lions to a 34.3 percent shooting mark from the field in the second half.
Navy made 25 of 30 free throws in the game, including 22 of 26 in the second half. Navy's total of 81 points is a season high, as is its 83.3-percent shooting from the foul line.
"We closed down Columbia's outside shooting in the second half," said Navy head coach Joe Sanchez. "That, and our composure at the free throw line down the stretch were the keys to the victory."
Navy will return to Alumni Hall Wednesday when the Mids play host to Valparaiso at 5:15 p.m.
