For 28 minutes the Chestnut Hill College Women's Basketball team was in control of their contest against Caldwell University Saturday afternoon at Sorgenti Arena. However, the final 12 minutes saw the Cougars rally and earn a 63-61 win.
The Griffins fall to 13-11 overall and 10-6 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games with the loss. The loss was also Chestnut Hill's first this season when allowing 65 or fewer points in a game (9-1). The Cougars improve to 19-6 overall and 12-5 in league play.
Sara Tamoun led three Griffins in double figures with 15 points. Tiayo Adelekan added 14 points while Tikyra Miller rounded out the double figure scorers with 11 points. Adelekan led the team with seven rebounds while Kourin Carew added six. Tamoun also led the team with four assists while Kaya Mobley led the team with three steals.
It was two free throws from Tamoun that gave the Griffins a 14-point lead 53-39 with 1:50 left in the third quarter. The Cougars cut the lead to ten by the end of the quarter then opened the fourth quarter scoring the first 12 points to take their first lead of the game at 57-55 with 6:54 remaining. Ten of the points followed a Chestnut Hill turnover. Adelekan broke the scoring draught with free throws at the 5:13 mark and Anaisah Malone sank a three-point basket to put the Griffins back ahead by three, 60-57 with 3:04 left. The Griffins still led by two 61-59 with 1:11 left before Caldwell's Jah'Nel Lewis tied the game with a short jumper. After both teams failed to score on subsequent possessions, the Cougars got the ball back with 2.8 seconds on the clock and were inbounding underneath their basket. The Cougars' Lucy Coogan received the inbounds pass underneath and connected for a layup with just 0.7 seconds left giving Caldwell a two point lead. The Griffins were unable to get a shot off before time expired giving the Cougars a two-point win.
A 58% shooting effort in the opening quarter had set the tone for much of the game prior to the Cougars comeback. Chestnut Hill opened up a 26-12 lead with Tamoun and Miller accounting for 15 of the Griffins' 26 points. Free throws from Anahita Jackson and Adelekan in the first thirty seconds of the second quarter gave the Griffins their biggest lead of the game at 30-12.
The Griffins maintained their double-digit lead until midway through the third quarter when the Cougars cut the deficit to nine. A 10-5 run by the Griffins followed capped by the Tamoun free throws at the 1:50 mark to lead by 14, 53-39 before the Cougars began their rally.
Coogan led the Cougars with 18 points.
For the game, the Griffins shot 37.5% (18-48). The Cougars made six more field than the Griffins but at a slightly lower shooting percentage (24-66, 36.4%). Chestnut Hill connected on 18 of 22 free throw shots (81.8%) to Caldwell's 7 of 12 (58.3%). The Cougars held a slight rebound advantage 40-36. The Griffins scored 18 points of 15 CU turnovers while the Cougars scored 16 points off 18 CHC miscues.
The women's basketball team returns to action on Tuesday, February 17 when they travel to face Georgian Court University in Lakewood, New Jersey. Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m.
