Quiet Shooting Night Sends CCC Leader Roger Williams Over Women’s Basketball

BRISTOL, R.I. (January 10, 2023) – The Western New England women's basketball team couldn't find their groove on the court this evening, falling to the Commonwealth Coast Conference women's basketball leader Hawks of Roger Williams University by a final score of 51-37. 

Records:

• Western New England: 7-7, 5-2 CCC
• Roger Williams University: 11-2, 7-0 CCC

How it Happened:
The Golden Bears couldn't drop a bucket for the first half of the first quarter as Roger Williams opened the game on a quick 6-0 run to take and maintain the lead. Lindsey Carey got Western New England on the scoreboard with two free throws, breaking a 5:18 stretch of no points for WNE. The Golden Bears registered their first field goal of the quarter on a triple from Emma Kahn with 55 seconds left in the quarter which gave WNE just a three-point deficit, trailing 9-6. The horn would sound to end the first quarter with that score as both teams would lock down on defense to begin the game. 

WNE and RWU exchanged buckets in the opening minute of the second quarter as Shaina Cooney dropped her first two points of the game. The WNE offense would struggle throughout the night as WNE would score their lone field goal in the quarter by Cooney, also crediting five free throws. The Golden Bears would trail by just six points at the half. 

Roger Williams opened quarter three on an 11-0 run which was broken by free throws from Cooney. The sophomore would connect on WNE's first field goal in the quarter with three minutes remaining while the Hawks would pour on the points, leading 36-19 after three quarters of play. WNE scored just six points in the third quarter, scoring just two field goals while turning the ball over three times. 
The scoring would come around in the fourth quarter as the Golden Bears nearly matched their total from the first three quarters in the fourth. Emma Novajasky and Emma Elrod would both connect on field goals in the quarter with Novajasky leading the way with six points in the fourth as Western New England would be unable to climb back from their early shooting woes, falling to Roger Williams University by a final score of 51-37. 

Inside the Hoop:

• Shaina Cooney led WNE with eight points in the contest while Abby Garaban collected seven. 
• WNE shot just 21% in the game, connecting on ten field goals. Western New England dropped home 14 free throws, shooting 87.5% from the stripe, a season best.
• RWU forced 18 WNE turnovers while scoring ten points off those turnovers. 
• Western New England never had a lead in the contest and trailed by as many as 22 in the contest. 

Up Next on the Schedule:

• The Golden Bears return home to take on Curry College on Saturday, January 14 at 1:00 pm. 
• Top seeded Roger Williams meets Endicott College on the same date.