Bowdoin College junior guard Sam Roy (1) prepares to put up a shot for two points against Connecticut College in the NESCAC women’s basketball quarterfinals inside Morrell Gymnasium on Saturday. The Polar Bears rolled to a 96-75 win and will host the NESCAC semifinals and final this upcoming weekend. (Brian Beard / CiPhotography.com)
BRUNSWICK — Just eight days removed from pushing the No. 1 team in the country, the Connecticut College women’s basketball team returned to Bowdoin on Saturday for the NESCAC quarterfinals.
In the opening quarter, the eighth-seeded Camels went toe to toe with the Polar Bears again, with the teams combining for 51 points and just eight missed field goal attempts.
But, what has separated Bowdoin from the rest of the field throughout 25 wins this season is when the going gets tough, the defense steps up while the offense keeps clicking.
The Polar Bears kept scoring, and made enough stops in picking up a 96-75 win. The 96 points set a NESCAC tournament record.
Now, Bowdoin gets to host the NESCAC semifinals and title game this upcoming weekend, with semifinal action set to be played on Saturday. The NESCAC championship is set for Sunday at noon.
“It is so exciting,” said Bowdoin junior forward Maddie Hasson, who finished with 20 points and seven rebounds. “Going through NESCAC’s, you know every night you’re going to face a tough team. Every night, we knew that we had to take one step at a time. After the Amherst win, we knew we had a good shot. This was a good win tonight.”
“I am so proud of them. It is huge and immensely difficult to achieve that goal of hosting the NESCAC,” said Bowdoin (25-0) coach Adrienne Shibles.
The Polar Bears and Camels lit up the scoreboard in the opening 10 minutes. Bowdoin made its first six shots from the field, including 3-pointers from Sam Roy and Taylor Choate, and a three-point play by Abby Kelly for a 13-4 advantage.
“We were trying to take away their drive, but they come out with guns ablazing,” said Connecticut College junior guard Sami Ashton. “They were shooting so well, and they are very good at dishing to whoever is open.”
Connecticut College fought back, with Ashton finding her range for eight first-quarter points, while Kylie Caouette came off the Camel bench for six points on a pair of treys to make for a 26-25 Bowdoin lead after a quarter.
“We knew they missed just three shots in the first period (11-of-14) and we felt that we had weathered the storm,” said Hasson. “We stuck with our gameplan. We were confident.”
“They are a well-coached team with a lot of weapons and they spread you out,” added Shibles of the Camels. “I thought this was a tough first-round matchup.”
Defense rises
Bowdoin began making stops in the second quarter. The Camels committed six turnovers, while the Polar Bears used an 8-0 run for a 36-25 lead.
“The second quarter was our best-played defensive quarter today, but I have to give it to the offense,” said Shibles after her Polar Bears extended out to a 45-36 halftime lead. “They made their shots and just kept it going for us.”
After shooting 50 percent (16-of-32) in the first half, the Bowdoin offense kept the pedal down in the third quarter. The Polar Bears made 9-of-14 from the field and 5-of-7 from beyond the arc to dash away to a 70-56 advantage through 30 minutes. After picking up nine points in the first half, Roy added seven more, while Kelly warmed up with six of her 15 points.
Ashton, who scored a game-high 29 points, felt her Camel team gave all they had.
“We had been preparing for this, and we came in with the mentality of Bowdoin is very good, the number one team in the country, and all we could do was give it our all and play unafraid. We came in and gave it our all,” Ashton said.
Hasson finished off her strong showing with six more points in the fourth. The former South Portland High School standout has come into her own this season.
“Maddie has worked hard in the off season and her confidence has improved. She is a rock for us,” Shibles said.
“Every year I have learned a lot as a player, both on the court and off,” Hasson said. “I have been able to learn from the leaders I played with and the coaches that have taught me. It has made me a lot more comfortable now.”
Choate added eight of her team-high 22 points down the stretch, with Roy chipping in 18 points and four assists. Hannah Graham picked up 10 points, five assists and four rebounds.
Bowdoin shot 53 percent (35-of-66) for the game and finished a solid 15-of-18 from the charity stripe.
Caouette picked up 14 points for the Camels, with Margaret Corcoran adding nine of her 11 points in the second half. Corcoran led Connecticut College with six rebounds
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