BRUNSWICK — There are many ways to win a basketball game. Bowdoin College women’s basketball team showed that having poise is one of them.
The Polar Bears took control in the second quarter and then rebuffed every New York University challenge to move on in the NCAA Division III tournament with a 62-48 second-round victory Saturday night at Morrell Gymnasium.
The win put Bowdoin (22-6) in the women’s Division III Sweet Sixteen for the 13th time. The Polar Bears will find out where they will be going for the sectional tournament on Sunday.
“It’s so exciting,” said Bowdoin Coach Adrienne Shibles. “We’ve been there a little bit in recent years but it’s always special to have the opportunity to go. And we’re really looking forward to going beyond that.”
Bowdoin, down 8-2 in the game’s first 2:25, led at every stop. The Polar Bears were up by one after the first quarter, then scored the first eight points of the second quarter to take control. The Violets (19-8) never got closer than five, though they made the Polar Bears work for the win.
“We just couldn’t make enough consecutive stops,” said NYU Coach Lauren Hall-Gregory. “A lot of the credit goes to Bowdoin. They’re a heck of a team, really well coached, and they had some kids who stepped up and hit big shots.”
This was a very physical game, with both teams contesting every shot and bodies often crashing to the floor. Bowdoin did its best to contain NYU’s Megan Dawe, a 6-foot senior forward who had 21 points in Friday’s first-round win. She was covered by Bowdoin’s 6-foot senior center Shannon Brady – with help. Every time Dawe got the ball inside, another Polar Bear swarmed her. Dawe would finish with just nine points.
“It was a tough game,” said Brady, who led Bowdoin with 18 points. “I think on both sides, we knew it was going to be a tough game. And we still played with poise and composure even in those moments.”
Two of the biggest shots of the game for Bowdoin were provided by Abby Kelly, to end the first half, and Kate Kerrigan, to stifle NYU’s last gasp.
With seconds winding down in the second quarter, Bowdoin had a seven-point lead. Marle Curle got a defensive rebound and dribbled up the left. As she approached midcourt, she passed to Kelly, who took a dribble and then fired away from about 25 feet. The ball touched nothing but net at the buzzer, giving Bowdoin a 31-21 lead.
“We practiced that in practice one day and I was so ready to take that shot,” said Kelly. “I was like, ‘I’m going to hit this.’ “
Bowdoin would keep the lead between seven and 12 in the third, then NYU made one last run. The Violets pulled within 48-41 with 6:12 left, but the Polar Bears weren’t fazed.
Kerrigan took a pass from Curle in the left corner and drained a 3 that re-established a 10-point lead. Baskets by Ally Silfen and Brady on Bowdoin’s next two possessions extended it to 55-41.
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