NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Raining a program-record 16 three-pointers at an efficient 50% clip, the Christopher Newport women's basketball team ran away with a non-conference win at the Freeman Center on Tuesday night, downing Methodist University (1-4) by a final score of 100-36. With the historic shooting performance, the Captains improved to 5-3 on the season while extending it's home winning streak to 13 straight games.

The Captains put together one of the most impressive overall team performances in Christopher Newport women's basketball history with 30 assists on 37 made baskets while scoring 100 points with just three players in double figures. The 30 helpers ranks in the top-10 in program history and are the most assists in a game since the 1996-97 season when Christopher Newport dished 31 against Chowan on January 10. 

While the offense was firing on all cylinders, the Captains defense forced 36 turnovers and grabbed 27 steals. The 36 points allowed are the fewest in a game since giving up 33 in 2017-18 against St. Mary's (Md.) and the 64-point margin of victory is the largest winning gap in over 20 seasons. Matching the biggest win in Freeman Center history, the Captains last defeated a team by more points on December 12, 1998 in a 100-20 win over Allen. 

The dominance started right off the opening tip as the Captains allowed the first bucket of the game to Jazanae Billings but then locked down for the reaminder of the period. Christopher Newport went on a 28-0 run in the first quarter to take control and never looked back. The first quarter would prove to be a microcosm of the game as Christopher Newport knocked down 10 shots on seven assists while shooting 50% from beyond the arc while knocking down four triples. No one Christopher Newport player stood out as the home team continued to move the ball to find the open player time and time again. 

In the first quarter, Natalie Terwilliger and Bailey Hodges each had five points to lead the way while Hodges added three steals and Terwilliger grabbed a pair of rebounds. While the defense held Methodist to just 1-for-13 from the floor, the Captains scored 14 points off turnovers and handled the effort on the glass with a 17-6 advantage in rebounding. 

The second quarter kept with the theme as Christopher Newport knocked down 4-of-8 triples again in the second ten minutes with rookie Lizzie Thibodeau leading the charge. She buried a pair of shots from long range while Phylicia McInnis and Shea Plocharczyk also hit from deep. With the eight three-pointers in the half, Christopher Newport surged ahead, 51-15, at the break. 

With everyone contributing in the first half, the starters took control in another dominant period in the third quarter. Senior Kiana Kirkland and sophomore Sondra Fan each buried a pair of three-pointers and scored a team-high eight points while leading the charge. Rookie Anaya Simmons also scored six points on 3-for-5 shooting in the frame as the starting five combined for 22 of the Captains' 32 points in the third quarter. By the end of 30 minutes of action, the Captains carried a 58-point advantage into the final frame, 83-25. 

As the contest waned, the Captains continued to find open shooters. Sophomore Jessica Foster hit a pair of three-pointers and Thibodeau added her third in the fourth quarter. Thibodeau's late triple set the program record for three-pointers in a game with 16, besting the previous mark of 15 set in 1998 vs. Chowan and matched last year against Mary Washington. The shot also pushed the Captains' score to 100 at home for the fifth time since the Freeman Center opened it's doors on November 21, 2000. Overall, the team finished 16-for-32 from beyond the arc for a 50% performance that also ranks as one of the most efficient shooting performances in program history. Hitting at 50% from three-point land ranks tied for 11th all-time for Christopher Newport and second among performances with at least 13 made treys. 

The impressive all-around effort was emphasized by the Captains' featuring just three double-figure scorers in a game in which the team reached the century mark. Kirkland led all Christopher Newport scorers with 12 points while Simmons and Fan each added 10. Beyond the top three, 12 more Captains got into the scoring column with nine each from Foster, Thibodeau and Terwilliger off the bench to lead the way. The 30 assists were also spread fairly evenly across the scoresheet with Kirkland and Jasmine Norman each distributing five to lead the way and 11 Captains earning at least one assist in the game. 

The win extended Christopher Newport's home winning streak to 13 games, tied for the fifth longest run in program history. The Captains will head back on the road this weekend as they travel to face Stevenson University on Sunday, December 1. Tip against the Mustangs is scheduled for 4:00 pm. 

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