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Peri Curtis

Women's Basketball

Defense Sparks Women's Basketball to Win

Jan. 9, 2016

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

ANNAPOLIS, Md. â€"â€" The Navy women's basketball team held Colgate to no more than 10 points in each of the first three quarters on the way to the Mids posting a 51-41 victory over the Raiders Saturday afternoon at Alumni Hall in Annapolis.

After the Raiders (3-11, 1-3 Patriot League) jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead, the Mids (8-7, 2-2) scored the next eight points to take a lead they would not relinquish. Colgate scored the next basket to make it a one-point game, but Navy ran off the ensuing six points to take a 14-8 lead after the first quarter.

Navy shot 42.9 percent (6-14) from the field in the first 10 minutes of play, a total made all the more impressive considering the Mids began the game by missing each of their first four shots. Colgate shot 15.8 percent (3-19) from the floor in the frame and tallied just four second chance points despite snaring nine offensive boards.

"We wanted to double 25 (Josie Stockill)," said Navy head coach Stefanie Pemper of the team's defensive effort. "She has been a really good player for them this year. Their shooters have been a little inconsistent lately. Prior to league play they definitely had a couple of hot shooters. This was a game we felt someone from Colgate who typically had a great game was going to get hot tonight and we wanted to guard against that."

The Raiders would close to within three points of the Mids on three occasions in the second quarter at 15-12, 17-14 and 19-16, but Navy responded in each instance. After the latter instance, Peri Curtis (Sr., Coronado, Calif.) made a jumper to give Navy a 21-16 lead and start a first-half closing 7-2 spurt that sent the Mids into halftime holding a 26-18 lead.

Curtis tallied the last points of the first half as well as the first basket of the second half to give Navy its largest lead to that point of the game at 28-18 less than 90 seconds into the third quarter. Those would be the lone points recorded by either team until a basket by Navy's Bianca Roach (Fr., Virginia Beach, Va.) with 3:59 left on the clock. Stockill scored the first basket of the period for the Raiders 20 seconds later, but a Curtis bucket 20 seconds after that started a 7-2 run by Navy that gave it a 35-20 advantage.

The Mids would go into the final period of play holding a 39-27 lead, which grew to 46-27 after Christina Potts (Fr., Orlando Fla.) drilled the first of her two three-point baskets in the fourth quarter.

Navy outshot Colgate, 34.0%-30.4%, in the game but that advantage was 36.6%-24.4% through three quarters of play. The Mids also were 5-21 (23.8%) from three-point land and 10-15 (66.7%) from the foul line, while limiting the Raiders to a 3-15 (20%) effort from outside of the arc and to just six trips to the free throw stripe (made four).

"They (Colgate) were destructive with their switching defense," said Pemper. "I have to credit them; I thought we had a tough time in stretches getting good looks."

Colgate did hold a slight edge on the boards, 40-38 overall and 16-14 on the offensive glass, but the Mids held a 16-11 cushion in second chance points scored. Additionally, Navy scored 17 points after the 17 turnovers it forced Colgate into, while the Raiders accrued five points after the 14 turnovers they forced the Mids into committing.

Curtis connected on 5-7 shots from the field to score a Navy-best 10 points. She also grabbed a career-high 11 boards to register the first double-double of her career.

"We really wanted to get this win and end the week back at .500 in league play," said Curtis. "We have focused on offense a lot in practice. We have had some really good scrimmages that have helped us with our offensive execution."

"What can you say about Peri," said Pemper. "I thought her defense was really solid and she was scoring. She really was the one player playing well in the first half."

Fellow Navy starters Sarita Condie (Jr., Lovelock, Nev.) and Taylor Dunham (So., Fort Belvoir, Va.) tallied nine and eight points, respectively, with the Navy bench players totaling 24 points, 10 rebounds and seven of the team's 13 assists. In addition to the six points from Potts, Peyton Winers (Fr., Downers Grove, Ill.) had five points and a block, Roach and Justice Swett (Jr., Nashville, Tenn.) each tallied four points and two rebounds and Sara Jones (Jr., New Tripoli, Pa.) drilled a three-point shot.

"It is nice to be able to play 12 kids," said Pemper, "and have seven players from the bench contribute. Getting offensive and defensive production from seven kids off the bench was what we needed tonight.

Stockill shot 5-16 from the field to lead Colgate with 10 points as well as 11 rebounds and three blocks.

Navy will take to the road for a pair of games next week. The Mids will first play Wednesday at Loyola before taking on Lafayette one week from today.

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Players Mentioned

Christina Potts

#3 Christina Potts

G
5' 7"
Freshman
Bianca Roach

#15 Bianca Roach

G
5' 7"
Freshman
Taylor Dunham

#1 Taylor Dunham

G
5' 4"
Freshman
Justice Swett

#21 Justice Swett

G
5' 8"
Sophomore
Sara Jones

#2 Sara Jones

G
5' 9"
Freshman
Sarita Condie

#5 Sarita Condie

G
5' 7"
Freshman
Peri Curtis

#12 Peri Curtis

F
5' 11"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Christina Potts

#3 Christina Potts

5' 7"
Freshman
G
Bianca Roach

#15 Bianca Roach

5' 7"
Freshman
G
Taylor Dunham

#1 Taylor Dunham

5' 4"
Freshman
G
Justice Swett

#21 Justice Swett

5' 8"
Sophomore
G
Sara Jones

#2 Sara Jones

5' 9"
Freshman
G
Sarita Condie

#5 Sarita Condie

5' 7"
Freshman
G
Peri Curtis

#12 Peri Curtis

5' 11"
Freshman
F