UNE Pulls Away Late to Beat Endicott 74-68

BIDDEFORD, Maine – A recent Endicott women's basketball four-game conference winning streak came to an end on Saturday as the Gulls dropped a road CCC contest at University of New England, 74-68. Endicott suffered their second regular season loss to UNE despite a double-double effort from sophomore forward Kelsey Cuddy (Madison, Conn.) who poured in 16 points with 10 rebounds in the losing effort.

In the match up of the top two teams in the CCC, Endicott averaged a better team shooting percentage (.451), hit the same number of three pointers (three), were near perfect at the free throw line (17-of-19), and outrebounded the Nor'easters 40-31. The Gulls, however, committed 25 turnovers and found themselves in frequent foul trouble with two disqualifications. UNE converted 25 Endicott turnovers into 27 points and hit 23-of-37 attempts at the free throw line to maintain their lead in the final minutes of the second half.

UNE overcame a seven-point second half deficit, trailing 42-35 at the 15:24 mark following free throws by Gulls senior Jennifer White (Lisbon, N.H.), by rattling off a 14-2 run to force an Endicott timeout with UNE leading 49-44. UNE pushed their lead to as large as nine points (61-52, 5:03 2nd) before Endicott made a late-game push.

A five point swing in the Gulls favor with 2:46 remaining made it a three-point game at 63-60 following a three-point make by Endicott junior Katelyn Wright (Sudbury, Mass.). UNE, however, maintained their lead through the end of regulation by making 8-of-8 free throw attempts in the final minute and held on for the 74-68 win. 

UNE was led by a game-high 20 points from junior forward Kelly Coleman (Portland, Conn.). Coleman hit 7-of-17 shots from the floor while grabbing five rebounds, dishing three assists, and recording two steals.  Meghan Gribbin (Windham, Maine), Lauren Hayden (Chantilly, Va.), and Sadie DiPierro (South Portland, Maine) all finished in double figures in starting roles with 13, 12, and 11 points, respectively.

Endicott's Kayleen Whall (Foxboro, Mass.) came off the bench to score 14 points while adding eight boards, two assists, and a steal.  Wright scored 12 points off the bench as well on 4-of-8 shooting including 2-of-5 from three.  White finished with 11 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

Gulls senior forward Samantha Crough (Cohasset, Mass.) had eight points, five rebounds, and a game-high five blocks before fouling out in the second half. 

Endicott fell to 14-5 (9-3 CCC) and will visit Salve Regina on Tuesday, February 4^th for a 5:30 pm tip-off.  The Gulls defeated Salve Regina 79-50 at home back on January 7^th, a game in which five players scored in double figures for Endicott.