LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, N.J. – The Navy women's basketball team wrapped up its non-conference schedule with an emphatic comeback performance on Sunday on the road at Rider, winning 73-59. Trailing 23-22 at half, the Mids (3-7) turned in the eighth-highest scoring second half in program history as the team netted 51 points, while shooting 51 percent over the third and fourth quarters against the Broncs (2-7) at Alumni Gymnasium.
Jennifer Coleman (Sr., Richmond, Va.) continued asserting herself as a premier all-around player as she came within one assist of a triple-double on Sunday. Playing 39 minutes, the senior guard finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists and five steals, all totals that were game-highs.
Sydne Watts (So., Canton, Ga.) played a pivotal role for the Mids in the third quarter when they overtook the Broncs; she finished with a career-high 18 points, including 10 in the third.
Ciera Hertelendy (Sr., Inwood, W.Va.) gave Navy three double-figure scorers as the senior team captain netted 11 points. The Mids are now 2-0 this season when three players reach double figures.
"Today was a total team effort," exclaimed
Tim Taylor postgame. "We talked before the game about how each player is special and brings something different to the table. We wanted them to show their talents on the court. When everyone was called upon today, they brought it to fruition.
"I thought Sydne let the game come to her today and CC was patient on the block. Darryl really jump-started us in our pressure and I thought Kristina played a great all-around game. Jenn keeps elevating her game and there is even more room for her to grow. I love being a part of it."
Playing its first game in a week, Navy had a slow start to Sunday's tilt as the Mids shot just 23.1 percent (3-13) from the field and turned the ball on seven different occasions.
Lindsay Llewellyn (Jr., North East, Md.) got Navy on the scoreboard first as she sank a corner three-pointer on the Mids' first possession. That basket was the only one for Navy until Coleman and Hertelendy netted back-to-back scores at 5:34 and 4:49. Hertelendy was fouled on her layup and converted the 'and-one' to allow to re-take the lead at 8-7. Rider tightened up its defense and shut out Navy for the remainder of the quarter as the Broncs held a five-point advantage at the first quarter break.
"We were playing too fast in the first quarter and trying to make too much happen instead of letting the game come to us," remarked Taylor. "We had seven turnovers and only seven the rest of the game. Once we were patient, we were able to find open looks."
Mired in a five-minute scoreless streak going back into the first quarter, Coleman found Watts for a jumper in the paint on Navy's first possession of the second quarter. Baskets by Coleman at 8:53 and
Savanna Lewis (Fr., Los Lunas, N.M.) at 6:50 drew the Mids within one point of the Broncs' lead, though the hosts continued to hold onto their slight edge throughout the frame. Trailing 21-16 at the 3:14 mark, Watts and Coleman scored on two of Navy's next three times down the court to make it a one-point contest. Over the final 30 seconds of the first half both teams tallied two points to send the game into the intermission at 23-21.
After seemingly finding its offensive groove in the second quarter by shooting 46.7 percent (7-15) with just two turnovers, Navy improved on that field goal percentage, while adding a trio of three-pointers in the third quarter to record a 23-point output. Watts was powering the Mids' offense in the early action of the third as she put her team ahead by one with baskets at 9:21 and 7:57. Just over two minutes later, the sophomore made her third field goal of the quarter as Coleman pivoted the ball from the paint out to the wing where Watts swished a three-pointer to make it 33-33 at 5:49. A series of traded baskets over the next three minutes was capped off by another Watts three-pointer at 2:39. With the score knotted at that point, 38-38, the Mids closed out the quarter on a 7-1 run with all points coming from Coleman.
Up 45-39 after three quarters of action, Navy saw Rider pull within four on the strength of an early Raphaela Toussaint put-back at 9:12. From that juncture, the Mids found that next gear and scored 17 of next 19 points and moved out to a substantial 19-point lead of 62-43 at 5:26. Navy's defense was especially hostile towards Rider as the newly-inserted
Darryl Langford (Sr., Fayetteville, Ga.) helped lead a chaotic full-court press effort that resulted in two 10-second violations by the Broncs over a three-possession run of play. Langford played a role in the Mids' offensive effort too as
Mimi Schrader (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) found her for an easy layup after grabbing one of her four offensive rebounds on the afternoon at 8:16. That was one of the first five baskets in Navy's run that came from five different players, including Hertelendy, Watts, Coleman and
Kristina Donza (So., Jackson, N.J.). Comfortably ahead, Hertelendy netted Navy's next four points to give the Mids an 18-point lead of 66-48 at 3:43. Navy notched seven free throws in the final 67 seconds to round out its 28-point quarter and 73-59 victory.
For the game, Navy outshot Rider, 44.4 percent (28-63) to 39.6 (21-53) from the field, 26.3 percent (5-19) to 25.0 (6-24) from three-point range and 66.7 percent (12-18) to 61.1 (11-18) from the foul line.
The Mids also won the rebounding battle, 41-31 on the strength of Coleman's 12 boards. Bolstered by Schrader's four offensive caroms, Navy also won the battle on the offensive glass, 16-10 over Rider.
After a rough first quarter, the Mids' ball-handing improved as the team finished with a 13-to-14 assist-to-turnover ratio. Coleman was the team's leader in assists as she was credited with a career-high nine helpers. She was just one assist shy of the second triple-double in Navy program history, the first being Angela Dobbs on Jan. 11, 1992 at Bucknell (21p/13r/10a).
Defensively, the Mids forced the Broncs in 19 turnovers and were credited with eight steals. Coleman was at the forefront of Navy's effort with five individual steals.
The Mids will now step away from the hardwood for an extended break for finals and the holidays. Navy will next be in action on Wednesday, Dec. 29 when it hosts Holy Cross in the Patriot League conference opener for both squads. Tip-off at Alumni Hall is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
