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Devils Hang on for School Record Eleventh Straight Win
Caitlin Shaw had 23 points and Colleen Christian added 20 as the University of the Sciences women's basketball team survived a late run by Caldwell College to record their 11th straight win Saturday afternoon, 79-69 at the George R. Newman Center in Caldwell, New Jersey.
With the win, the Devils set a new school record for consecutive wins, breaking the old mark of ten set back in the 1992-1993 season. Sciences improves to 17-4 overall, their best record ever through 21 games and 13-2 in Central Atlantic collegiate conference contests. Caldwell falls to 15-5 overall and 11-3 in league games.
Shaw (Monmouth Regional HS/Eatontown, N.J.) produced another stellar effort, connecting on nine of 12 shots from the field to finish with 23 points. She also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Christian (Central Bucks South HS/Warrington, Pa.) scored 15 of her 20 points in the second half and finished the game shooting 5-12 from the field (2-4 3FG) and 8-9 from the free throw line. With her two three-pointers, Christian becomes the fourth women's basketball player in school history to make 100 three-point field goals in their career. Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) added 14 points. Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O'Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) grabbed seven rebounds while Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) dished out a team-high four assists.
Torey Jones led the Cougars with 31 points while Kirsty Leedham chipped in 16. Gillian Felix and Jeanette Anderson each grabbed eight rebounds while Abena George had a game-high six assists.
Neither team led by more than five in the first half, which saw four ties and five lead changes and the Cougars clinging to a one point lead at the break 35-34. A 3-ball from Jones to start the second half but the hosts up by four 38-34 before the Devils had a 13-2 uprising to take a seven point lead 47-40 at the 15:36 mark. Two consecutive three-pointers from Hamm during the run marked the turning point as the Devils went from down one to up five in a matter of 38 seconds. Shaw added a layup to complete the run.
A Cougar basket from Jones closed the gap to five, but the Devils rattled off eight straight points to build the lead to 13, 55-42. Caldwell closed within nine but the Devils kept on producing, building the lead back up to as many as 18, 67-49 with 4:59 left via Christian's second 3-ball (her career 100th long distance make). Caldwell still had a run left in them as they cut the gap in half with a 9-0 run, making the score 67-58 with 2:23 left. Two free throws from Christian stopped the run momentarily and gave the Devils a 69-58 lead with 1:52 left. Two free throws from Leedham followed by a Sciences turnover leading to a three-pointer from Leedham made it two possession game, 69-63 with 1:30 left. Shaw then sank two free throws and Hamm had a fast break layup to boost the lead back to ten 73-63 with 1:05 left. Sciences then went to the line and was a perfect 6-6 in the final minute with Christian sinking a pair and Rotz making four straight in the final 36 seconds to seal the win. Caldwell managed just four points (all free throws) in the final minute of play as the Devils hung on for the ten-point win 79-69.
The Devils held a solid shooting advantage making 48.2% (27-56) of their shots while holding the Cougars to 35.1% (20-57). Both teams were essentially even from long range and turned in identical 80% efforts from the free throw line (USciences 20-25; Caldwell 24-30). Caldwell held a 40-33 advantage on the boards (all on the offensive glass) but the Devils had two fewer turnovers 21 (14 assists).
The Devils return to action on Tuesday, February 15, 2011 when they travel across the river to take on area rival Philadelphia University at PU's Gallagher center. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m.
