1/23/2002 - Women's Basketball
Navy Rallies for Victory
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Courtney Davidson made a pair of free throws with eight seconds remaining and Navy survived a pair of Lafayette shots to defeat the Leopards, 56-55, Wednesday evening in Alumni Hall.
Lafayette (2-16, 0-5 Patriot League) outshot -- 46.7-32 percent -- and outrebounded Navy -- 25-12-- in the first half to take a slim 30-26 lead at the break.
Davidson (So., New Oxford, Pa.) found her shooting stroke early in the second half, scoring nine of Navy's (9-9, 1-4) first 13 points after intermission as Navy took a 39-38 lead with 13:53 to play in the game. Lafayette took the lead right back on two free throws from Lindsay Myers and another free throw from Elizabeth Rojahn to take a 41-39 advantage. The Leopards eventaully took their largest lead of the second half at 50-45 on a free throw from Elicia Kruise with just 4:43 left on the clock.
Navy would score five-straight points to knot the game for the eighth time in the second half at 50-50 on a three-pointer from Davidson and a layup from Adrienne Roseti (So., Williamsville, N.Y.) with 3:22 to play. A Rojahn three-point play would give Lafayette a three-point lead with 1:55 left in the game, but Roseti cut the Navy deficit back to one point on a pair of free throws just 20 seconds later.
Rojahn returned the lead to three with two free throws of her own with 80 seconds to play. Navy's Bryanna Herring (So., Columbia, Md.), grabbed an errant Navy field goal and was fouled with 35 seconds left to play, and her pair of free throws cut the deficit to 55-54.
Navy pressed the Leopards and forced a travelling violation with 23 seconds to play. Navy then put the ball in the hands of Davidson, who missed a field goal but Navy retained possession as Lafayette knocked the ball out of bounds with 13 seconds to play. Davidson's number was again called, and she was fouled while driving to the basket with eight seconds to play. Davidson, who ranks third in the nation with a free throw percentage of 92.2 percent, calmly sank both free throws to give Navy its second lead of the second half at 56-55.
Lafayette pushed the ball down the court and with time running out, Myers' shot fell short, but she and Davidson both grabbed the rebound to force a jump ball with 1.5 second on the clock, after which Lafayette retained possession. The Leopards inbounded to Kim Costello, who was forced to her left by defender Lisa Steinmetz (Jr., Mount Vernon, Ohio), causing Costello's shot at the buzzer to go wide.
It was Navy's third game in its last five decided in the final 10 seconds, but the first victory for the Mids.
"We've had a lot of close games recently, and it was nice to finally come out ahead on one of them," said Navy head coach Joe Sanchez. "Our offense struggled, but we again played great defense, especially down the stretch."
After shooting nearly 50 percent from the field in the first half, Navy held the Leopards to just 28-percent shooting in the second half. Lafayette outrebounded Navy in the game, 45-37, but Navy forced 22 Lafayette turnovers while committing only 16.
Davidson drilled four three-point field goals and finished with 22 points to lead all scorers. It marked the ninth time this season and the 14th time in her career Davidson has scored 20 or more points, already the eight-most times in Navy history.
"We shoot 100 free throws every Tuesday, so I was trying to put myself in the same frame of mind when I was at the line tonight," said Davidson.
Herring scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds -- seven of them on the offensive end -- for Navy. Lafayette was led by Colleen Fitzpatrick who scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Navy will be back in action Saturday when the Mids play host to Army in a 3 p.m. game in Alumni Hall.
UPDATED PATRIOT LEAGUE STANDINGS -- 1) Lehigh and Bucknell, 4-1; 3) Holy Cross, Colgate and Army, 3-2; 6) American, 3-2; 7) NAVY, 1-4; 8) Lafayette, 0-5
