WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
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Women's Basketball: Norwich Gets Past Simmons, 67-60
BOSTON - Ally Daniels scored a team-high 13 points and grabbed a team-best 10 rebounds, and Kayleigh Shappy netted 11 points and dished out a game-high four assists as the Norwich University women's basketball team got past Simmons, 67-60, Saturday afternoon a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) game.
It marked the third double-double of the season for Daniels, who also added two assists and one blocked shot. Erica Rate chipped in 10 points for the Cadets, while Christine Daniels and Tara Stevenson each put up nine points apiece.
With the victory, Norwich (17-6, 10-2 GNAC) clinches the No. 3 seed in the upcoming GNAC Tournament. The third-seeded Cadets will face sixth-seeded Simmons in a rematch of today's regular season finale. The quarterfinal contest is slated for Tuesday, Feb. 24, and will be held at 7 p.m., at Norwich's Andrews Hall.
Norwich used an 8-0 run late in the second half to turn a tenuous 50-49 lead at the 5:20 mark into a 58-49 advantage with just 2:44 to play. Simmons got no closer than six points the rest of the way as the Cadets held on for their fourth straight win. NU converted 7-of-8 free throws in the final 37 seconds to ice the victory.
Simmons got off to a quick start to the game, taking an early 6-5 lead. Norwich responded with a 15-5 spurt over the next eight minutes to open up a 20-11 lead with 9:09 to play in the first half. The Cadets extended their advantage to as many as 11 points in the opening stanza before settling for a 30-22 lead at the intermission.
Norwich began the second half on a 10-3 spurt to open up its largest lead of the game at 40-25 at the 15:26 mark.
Simmons used a 22-8 run over the next 9:07 to pull to within one point at 48-47 at the 6:19 mark. The teams traded baskets to make the score 50-49, and then Norwich reeled off eight unanswered points to put the game away.
Simmons (17-8, 8-4 GNAC) was led by Lauren Kreckie, who recorded a double-double with a game-high 16 points and 12 rebounds. Julianna Eagles added 11 points for the Sharks, while Stephanie Fox posted a double-double of her own with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
The Cadets shot 36.2 percent from the floor, while the Sharks hit 32.8 percent of their field goals. Norwich held a decided edge at the free throw line, converting 21-of-27 charity tosses compared to 12-of-16 for Simmons. Both teams made four three-point shots in the game. Both teams corralled 42 rebounds.
