BEVERLY, Mass. – The Curry College women's basketball team fell at the hands of Endicott College on Saturday afternoon in a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) tilt. Following the defeat, the Colonels close the regular season with an overall record of 6-19, while finishing their conference schedule at 4-12. The Gulls improve to 15-10 on the year with a 12-4 CCC mark.
Both offenses started the game in a quiet manner, combining to score just five points in the opening four minutes of play. With 5:31 left on the clock, a jumper by Kirsten Smith (East Bridgewater, Mass.) gave the Colonels their first made field goal of the day, before a triple by Kaitlynn Smith (Hull, Mass.) shot the visitors into the lead at 6-4. The Gulls would tie it with a pair of free throws on the following possession, but the teams stayed close, closing the first quarter with Curry ahead by a score of 9-8.
The teams traded scores to open the second, but a pair of converted free throws by Gina Coote (Dedham, Mass.) gave the Colonels a 16-11 lead with 7:03 to go. Two more Endicott free throws cut the lead back down to one possession, but soon after, a bucket by Kai. Smith brought the score to 20-13. The Gulls put the pressure on their guests by scoring six straight points, but Curry would not surrender their lead through the remainder of the half, entering the intermission with a 23-21 edge.
Despite their slow offensive start, the Gulls got back on track in the third quarter, as nine quick points gave them their first lead since the first quarter less than four minutes into the frame. With the Colonels going through a nearly four-minute scoreless streak, Endicott stretched their lead to seven at 36-29, before a three by Coote brought the Colonels back to life. After scoring just 44 points in the first half, the teams combined to score 46 points in the third quarter alone, heading to the fourth quarter with the hosts leading 50-40.
After turning up the volume in the previous frame, the Curry scorers could not keep up with the Gulls through the final stanza. With 6:42 to play in regulation, a layup by Emily Pratt (Gardner, Mass.) made the Endicott lead 56-41, before a bucket by Lexi Gellerman (West Hartford, Conn.) made it 20 at 66-46. Kathryn Dunn (Hanson, Mass.) had a strong quarter with six points, including a three-pointer in the Colonels' final possession, but it would not be enough to overcome the Gulls' lead, as the hosts close the regular season with an important 75-53 CCC victory.
Coote led the Colonels with 12 points while Pratt turned in a game-high 22. Coote also pitched in 12 rebounds, while the Gulls were headed by Mikaela Rodgers (Haverhill, Mass.), who grabbed 11. Pratt led Endicott with five assists, while Katie Smith (East Bridgewater, Mass.) registered four helpers for Curry.
Despite the loss, the Colonels remain locked in to the #6 seed for the upcoming CCC tournament. The Gulls finish the season in a three-way tie for second place at 12-4, but will enter the postseason as the #3 seed due to conference tiebreakers. On Tuesday, February 25, Endicott will once again host Curry, this time with the teams fighting for a spot in the CCC semifinals. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
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