BRUNSWICK, Maine – Powered by an outstanding 32-point performance from graduate student
Carly Whiteside, the UMass Dartmouth Women's Basketball team defeated New Jersey City University, 78-69. The Corsairs advance to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, awaiting the winner of today's Bowdoin vs. Western New England game.
The Corsairs were paced by Whiteside's career-high 32 points along with 13 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season. Whiteside went 10-16 (62.5%) from the field and 12-13 (92.3%) from the free throw line. Senior
Kaylin Zalewski scored 13 points with two three-pointers. The primary ball handler went 4 for 8 (50.0%) from the floor and a perfect 3 for 3 from the free throw line. Junior
Amaris Mills scored 10 points and hauled in six boards, including two clutch free throw makes in the final minute. Senior
Teja Andrews scored seven points and was tasked with defending NJCU's star senior, Damaris Rodriguez, for most of the game. Rodriguez was limited to just 36.0% from the field with Andrews as the primary defender.
UMass Dartmouth have advanced to the round of 32, where they will take on the winner of today's matchup between Western New England and Bowdoin. New Jersey City's great season has come to a close with a first round exit.
New Jersey City, paced throughout by Rodriguez, saw the senior guard score 24 points, along with seven rebounds and five assists. Rodriguez was a huge part of the Gothic Knight's run in the third and fourth quarters that gave them a late lead in the contest. Senior Jemmirah Johnson was the next highest-scorer for NJCU, scoring 13 points in 19 minutes of action before fouling out of the contest.
The Corsairs jumped out to an early lead12-5 lead at the 5:23 mark of the first quarter, seeing five early points from Zalewski and another five from Whiteside.
UMass Dartmouth was able to limit NJCU's star senior guard, Damaris Rodriguez, to just two points in the first quarter. Both teams found their range early on from distance, with each of them sinking two first quarter threes. UMD finished the opening quarter with a 20-14 advantage.
The two teams battled defensively in the second quarter, as it was the lowest-scoring quarter of the game by a large margin. At the 4:15 mark of the second quarter, the Corsairs led 27-22. Andrews and sophomore
Melanie DeMeo added a pair of buckets as UMD went into the half leading, 31-23. The two teams combined for just 20 points in the second quarter, with just nine combined field goals.
It was the Gothic Knights that struck first in the second half, scoring four unanswered points to cut the UMD lead down to 31-27 at the 8:30 mark in the third. The Corsairs responded with 10-4 run to go up, 41-31 with 4:52 left in the third quarter. UMD saw four more points from Whiteside during that stretch. New Jersey City answered with a run of their own that narrowed the gap within two points with 0:35 to play in the third. A three-pointer from Mills put the Corsairs back up by five, at 50-45, going into the final quarter.
Then fourth quarter was all it was supposed to be for an NCAA Tournament game. The teams traded buckets for the first couple minutes of the final frame. The Gothic Knights captured their first lead of the night at the 5:49 mark of the fourth. Rodriguez buried a tough fall-away three that put NJCU up, 58-57, with 5:49 to go in regulation.
Whiteside took over in the later minutes of the fourth. She made four free throws and two layups that put the Corsairs back up by two points with 1:26 left on the clock. After a shooting foul was called on the Gothic Knights, NJCU head coach Pat Devaney Sr. was issued a technical foul while arguing for a call of traveling, giving UMD four free throws. Mills and Whiteside converted on all four free throws, before Whiteside was able to fight for a tough bucket inside with the extra possession that stretched the Corsairs lead to 76-69 with just :30 seconds remaining.
The Corsairs held onto the late lead, as they defeated New Jersey City, 78-69. UMass Dartmouth has advanced to the round of 32. They take on the winner of Bowdoin and Western New England tomorrow at 6:30pm.
