Box Score in HTML Format
Box Score in PDF Format

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Playing against one of the toughest defenses in the Capital Athletic Conference, the CNU women's basketball team was stifled offensively and suffered a 58-44 setback on the road at Marymount University (10-5, 6-2) Saturday afternoon. The Captains scored a season-low 44 points as their overall record falls to 10-5, with a 6-2 mark in league play. 

The Saints jumped out to a quick 9-0 lead before the Captains managed to get on the board, and never looked back. Marymount led wire-to-wire, despite a valiant comeback attempt in the second half that saw CNU close to within one point on several occasions. 

In the first, the Captains struggled to cut into the early lead built by the Saints as the team combined to shoot just 31.6% in the frame. Despite the early struggles, CNU hung in against the veteran core of Marymount with sharp-shooting from long range, knocking down four three-pointers in the opening stanza. Junior Jordan Miller led the way in the half with six points on a pair of trey's, while Makenzie Fancher and Makeda Wright each added one from beyond the arc. 

CNU senior Camry Green was struggling from the field, but kept the Captains involved with a monster performance on the boards, grabbing nine first-half rebounds. Still, headed into the locker room the Saints held a seven-point advantage, 26-19, powered by a 10-3 edge in points off turnovers. 

The Captains, used to forcing more turnovers than they give up themselves, had the script reversed on Saturday as the Saints forced 14 first-half turnovers with eight steals. Leah Hurst had four takeaways to lead the way for Marymount. 

In the second half, the home team continued to hold off any push by the Captains for the first seven minutes, but then came a momentum-shifting swing for CNU. With just over 12 minutes remaining, the Captains turned a 36-27, nine-point deficit into a 38-37, one-point game in the span of just three minutes. The 10-2 run saw four different CNU freshman drop in shots, as rookie point guard Makenzie Fancher carved through the Saints defense with three straight assists and a bucket of her own. 

Marymount's Kiki Laux stopped the run with an open jumper from the baseline, getting the edge back to three, 40-37, before Fancher could drill another jumper to pull back within one. Twice more the team's traded two-point runs at the basket, but back-to-back buckets by Laux, followed by a fast-break layup by Kievanna Lacey would get the lead back to seven at 48-41 with 5:04 remaining. 

Laux continued her hot second half with another layup with 4:05 showing on the clock, getting the lead back to nine and the Captains run at a comeback would be over. Four straight free-throws extended the lead to 13 with two and a half minutes left, and CNU would get no closer the rest of the game. The final deficit of 14 points not indicitive of the tight battle it was throughout, Christopher Newport suffered just its third loss by double figures this season.

Laux led the way for the Saints, scoring a game-high 17 with 14 coming after halftime. Lacey finished with 13 points, four assists and two steals, while Samantha Kane added nine points and nine rebounds. The Saints shot 40.7% (22-54) from the field.

For the Captains, Miller's nine points were a team-high on three made three-pointers. Green hauled in 17 rebounds with four points, two steals and a blocked shot, while Bailey Dufrene and Fancher each finished with seven points. CNU was 34.9% (15-43) from the field, going 6-for-12 from beyond the arc. 

CNU falls back into a tie for third place in the league standings, with Marymount. Salisbury remains unbeaten and atop the conference, while Mary Washington picked up a win on Saturday to take over sole possession of second place with a 7-1 league mark. The Captains will face a tough battle with the Eagles in their next time out, facing Mary Washington at home on Wednesday, January 21, with tip set for 5:30 pm.