AMHERST, Mass. – Saturday afternoon Trinity College Women's Basketball team went into double overtime against Amherst for a New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) match up, falling with just seconds left on the clock to a score of 68-66. The Bantams overall record dropped 12-6, 3-2, while the Mammoths rose to 16-4, 4-3 record in the season.
The first points on the board in the NESCAC play were cashed in by Bantams senior Bria Fuller after an old-fashioned three-point play. Trinity would net fifteen points in the first half with baskets peppered across the lineup, closing out the first leading by one (15-14).
Amherst added eighteen points in the second quarter to grow a nine point lead to close out the first half. Reilly Campbell added seven of the Bantams eight points in the quarter adding four boards and went 5-for-6 from the charity stripe.
In the third quarter Trinity continued to peck at the Mammoths lead. With a minute remaining the gap was cut to only a four point difference with a made three from Avery Marzo, 39-35. The Bantams were unable to put a halt to Amherst's offensive success, keeping them a couple steps behind. Mammoths lead 44-37 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Bantams began their comeback as Emma Wax opened up the fourth quarter with six quick points turning it into a one point game, 46-45 with 6:26 remaining. Fuller would cause the first lead change of the half after she sunk both free throws (49-49) and a made layup to lift them into the lead, 51-49. After made free throws by the Mammoths with two seconds remaining on the clock, Coach Garner would call for a timeout on the make advancing the inbound for her team. On the inbound Campbell broke free from her defender, she collected a perfectly placed pass from Wax kissing in an uncontested layup to send the game into overtime.
With a made layup from Campbell and a cashed in three from Wax the Bantams had a lead of 57-53 just over a minute into the first overtime. Amherst would sink two free throws to close the gap to a one possession game, 57-55. Hannah Marzo would land herself on the charity stripe making 1-of-2, Bantams hold a three point lead with 1:30 remaining. Mammoths Kori Barach would knock down her third three of the game to send it into double overtime, tied 58-58.
In the final overtime, the Bantams again possessed a lead of four after a made layup from Campbell, 62-58. The Mammoths stayed right on Trinity's tail, as they swapped leads basket-for-basket, Wax would obtain the lead for the Bantams after a traditional three-point play to lift them into the lead 65-64. With thirty seconds remaining on the game clock the Bantams led 66-64, Amhersts' Barach would cash in her fourth three to take the lead back, 67-66. The Mammoths would add another free throw to their score to solidify the NESCAC win of 68-66.
The Bantams fell short by two on the boards, 50-48 and overpowered the Mammoths in the paint with 38-22 points. Trinity converted 24-of-69 (34.8%) from the floor, 2-of-15 (13.3%) from three, and 16-of-21 (76.2%) from the foul line. Amherst shot 23-of-71 (32.4%) from the field, including 8-of-27 (29.6%) from three-point range, and 14-of-19 (73.7%) from the free throw stripe.
The Bantams will be back in Oosting Gymnasium as they host Wiliams College on Friday, February 2nd at 7PM.
