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ARLINGTON, Va. -- The nationally-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team battled against Capital Athletic Conference foe Marymount University (10-3, 4-2) on Sunday afternoon, before surviving for the team's 13th straight victory to open the season. Neither team led by double figures in the game, as two of the league's top defenses went blow-for-blow before the Captains escaped with a three-point win on the road, 54-51. CNU improves to 13-0 overall and 6-0 in conference play following the win.
After a back-and-forth start to the game, the Captains last trailed at 17-16 midway through the second quarter. CNU closed the first half on a small run, taking a four-point lead at halftime, 26-22. In the second half, the Saints would claw back to tie, but never re-took the lead as CNU held off the comeback, withstanding a couple of Marymount runs.
The two defenses, both allowing just over 50 points per game this season, held the opposing offenses in check for the majority of the contest. With 41 combined turnovers, the teams also combined for 21 steals. CNU shot just under 41% (20-49) while the Saints managed to knock down 43.4% (23-53) from the field. Christopher Newport got the better performance from outside, as CNU shot 35.7% (5-14) while the Captains' top-ranked three-point defense held Marymount to just 20% (2-10) from beyond the arc.
A missed three would be the difference at the buzzer, as Marymount sophomore Tyffani McQueen was able to hoist a buzzer-beating attempt from the wing that looked on line for a game-tying shot. The shot glanced off the iron, though, securing the CNU victory.
In a tight fourth quarter, it was, naturally, a key defensive play that would pivot CNU back in front. After CNU took an eight point lead in the third, the Saints fought back to lock the score at 45-45 on a Kiki Laux layup with 6:39 remaining. Then, two minutes later, CNU got an open court steal by junior guard
Makenzie Fancher. Fancher finished the run out to teeter the Captains back in front. On the very next possession, the Captains got another steal, this time on a
Devon Byrd interception.
Marymount would even the score once more, but the back-to-back steals shifted momentum in favor of the Captains.
Jessica Daguilh knocked down a pair of free-throws, followed by a lay-in by Byrd. Junior
Sam Porter then closed the game with the final three points for CNU, including a bucket with less than a minute to go to set up the final play.
Rebounding, as it has been all season for CNU, was key in Sunday's game. After the two teams each had six rebounds through the first quarter, the Captians flexed their muscle down low, out-rebounding Marymount 27-18 the rest of the way. The performance included 15 offensive rebounds, leading to 15 second-chance points, led by a nine-board effort from Porter.
The junior leader finished just one rebound shy of a double-double, with 12 points and nine boards. She added a pair of steals and three assists while playing 33 minutes. Fancher also played a season-high 34 minutes, putting together a strong overall performance with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting. Daguilh rounded out the CNU double-figure scoring performance with 12 off the bench, knocking down 5-of-7 shots.
Marymount got a game-high 15 points from McQueen, who added five steals as well. Leah Hurst, the reigning CAC Player of the Week, finished with 10 points, five rebounds, and three steals. The Captains frustrated the Saints' top scorer and rebounder, Nicole Viscuso, and held the Marymount junior forward to just seven points and two boards.
Fifty-one is the number for the Captains' defense, who held their opponent to 51 points or less for the 11th time in 13 games. The win was the closest game of the season for CNU, who had not played a game with a final margin of less than nine points prior to Sunday's matchup. It is the first win at the Verizon Sports Arena for CNU women's basketball since joining the Capital Athletic Conference in 2013.
The Captains will return home for their next game, hosting St. Mary's College (Md.) on Wednesday, January 11 at 5:30 pm. CNU will look to extend their season-opening win streak to 14 games, which has been accomplished only once prior in school history.
