Nov 16, 2013
WALTHAM, Mass. --- Colby College's success at the free-throw line and some help from two first-year players were keys for the Mules in winning the Brandeis University Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday at Red Auerbach Arena.
The Mules shot 24-for-29 from the foul line and Colby went 4-for-4 on free throws in the final 21 seconds in a 70-67 win over Brandeis.
Colby moves to 2-0 overall heading into Wednesday's road game at University of New England at 7 p.m. The Mules open up at home this Friday at 6 p.m. against Thomas College.
Jen Nale earned tournament MVP honors after scoring a team-high 16 points on 3-for-7 shooting from 3-point range. Nale averaged 18.5 points and was 8-for-16 from 3-point range in the two tourney games.
Desi Smith added 15 points and seven rebounds in the win Saturday and is averaging 15.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in two games for Colby. Sophomore point guard Mia Diplock also earned all-tournament team honors after contributing 11 points and four assists, while Gabe Donahue had an unusual statistic line of 10 rebounds and two assists in 31 minutes without attempting a shot.
First-years Caitlyn Nolan and MaryKate Caverly both were in the game late after producing in key moments. Nolan finished 3-for-3 from the field and 3-point range and finished with 12 points, while Caverly hit all six of her free throws for six points and seven rebounds.
Colby led the New England Small College Athletic Conference in free-throw shooting last year. The Mules are at it again after two games, shooting nearly 79 percent (45-for-57). Smith, who was second in the league last year from the foul line, is at 93 percent (14-for-15).
The Mules took a 59-55 lead when Smith hit two free throws with 4:28 to play, but Brandeis (1-1) went on a 6-1 run to take a 61-60 margin with 2:57 left.
Nolan hit one of her three 3-point shots with 2:46 to play to give Colby the lead at 63-61. The Judges tied the game when Nicolina Vitale scored inside, but Nale put the Mules ahead for good with another 3-point shot with 2:08 to play for a 66-63 margin. Vitale countered again with another inside basket to cut the lead to 66-65 with 1:51 to play.
The Mules and the Judges both had opportunities in the next four possessions. However, Colby went 0-for-2 from the field and Brandeis went 0-for-1 and had one turnover.
Nale made a steal and got the ball to Smith with 21 seconds left. She nailed both free throws for a 68-65 margin.
The Judges tried a 3-point attempt for the tie, but settled for an offensive rebound bucket from Paris Hodges with eight seconds to play. Nale came up big again with two more free throws with three seconds left for the final margin. Brandeis missed a 3-point shot at the buzzer.
COLBY 70, BRANDEIS 67
COLBY (1-0)
Jen Nale 5-12 3-4 16; Desi Smith 3-11 7-8 15; Caitlyn Nolan 3-3 3-4 12; Mia
Diplock 4-10 3-5 11; Carylanne Wolfington 3-9 0-0 8; MaryKate Caverly 0-4
6-6 6; Gabe Donahue 0-0 2-2 2; Appalonia Tankersley 0-0 0-0 0; Kate Parsons
0-3 0-0 0. Totals 18-52 24-29 70.
BRANDEIS (1-0)
Laskaris, Niki 8-20 3-4 21; Vitale,Nicolina 5-15 5-6 15; Hodges, Paris 4-7
1-4 9; Dean,Kasey 3-13 1-1 7; Dobson, Tori 2-5 2-2 6; Mancinelli, Samantha
2-4 1-2 5; Cain, Heather 1-3 0-0 2; McNamara, Ceara 1-4 0-0 2; Miller,
Angela 0-2 0-0 0; Pinto, Frankie 0-1 0-0 0; Scanlon,Julia 0-0 0-0 0. Totals
Colby......................... 33 37 - 70
Brandeis...................... 25 42 - 67
3-point goals--Colby 10-25 (Caitlyn Nolan 3-3; Jen Nale 3-7; Desi Smith 2-4;
Carylanne Wolfington 2-6; Kate Parsons 0-1; MaryKate Caverly 0-1; Mia
Diplock 0-3), Brandeis 2-10 (Laskaris, Niki 2-5; Dean,Kasey 0-1; Mancinelli,
Samantha 0-1; Cain, Heather 0-1; McNamara, Ceara 0-1; Pinto, Frankie 0-1).
Fouled out--Colby-None, Brandeis-None. Rebounds--Colby 44 (Gabe Donahue 10),
Brandeis 44 (Hodges, Paris 11). Assists--Colby 9 (Mia Diplock 4), Brandeis 6
(Cain, Heather 1; Laskaris, Niki 1; Hodges, Paris 1; Vitale,Nicolina 1;
Dean,Kasey 1; Mancinelli, Samantha 1). Total fouls--Colby 16, Brandeis 23.
Technical fouls--Colby-None, Brandeis-None.