Women’s Basketball Falls in CCC Semifinals

BRISTOL, R.I. (February 23, 2023) – The Western New England women's basketball played in the CCC Semifinal playoff round against Roger Williams University Hawks. The Golden Bears lost to the Hawks 56-40 bringing their 22-23 season to an end.

Records:

• Western New England: 13-14, 11-9 CCC
• Roger Williams University: 24-3, 19-0 CCC

How It Happened: Roger Williams put up the first two baskets of the game before Lindsey Carey took it in and was fouled for the Golden Bears to get on the scoreboard. The Hawks got up four and Colleen Furlong nailed a three for WNE to trail by one halfway through the first quarter. A foul shot and a layup brought Roger Williams back up four, but the Golden Bears fought their way into a lead in the last minute of the quarter. Abby Garaban scored a layup and Carey knocked in a three. The Hawks stole back the lead in the last five seconds on a three for the score to be 16-14 entering the second.

Right out of the break, Emma Kahn shot in a three to bring WNE on top of the Hawks. Roger Williams again answered with a three of their own and went on a run of 12 points, ending with a three-point shot. They had gathered a lead of 28-17. Emma Elrod drove it in for the Golden Bears to stop the Hawks scoring streak, and made a three, closing the gap to six-points, 28-22. Roger Williams had a small run at the end of the second to have a lead 34-22 against WNE at the half.

Elrod put two more points in for her team on the foul line. Roger Williams took it to the hoop twice for four more now ahead 28-34. There was two minutes of scoreless action that ended with Garaban on the foul line, hitting one for two. The Hawks followed with a three pointer. Emma Novajasky added two from the free-throw line as well, and Carey swooshed a three in the last minute of the third. In the last second, the Roger Williams put up a layup to lead 43-30.

The first basket of the quarter was a Hawk free throw. Novajasky brought it to the hoop for the Golden Bears, the Hawks returned to the foul line for two-points and a three a few plays later for a lead of 49-32. WNE hit the scoreboard again with a layup taken by Elrod. Roger Williams went down on the other end and put in a jumper. The Hawks had built up a 20-point lead with 2:42 left in the ballgame, 56-36. The Golden Bears put up only two more layups in the time remaining. They lost to the Hawks in the CCC semifinal round, 56-40.

On the Court:

• The Golden Bears shot 33.3 percent from the paint, 35.7 percent from three-point line, 77.8 percent from the foul line, while gathering 24 rebounds, 10 assists, five steals, and one block.
• The Hawks had 44.0 percent from the floor, 35.7 percent from beyond the arc, and 70.0 percent from the free throw line while grabbing 34 rebounds, 15 assists, 10 steals, and five blocks.
• The Golden Bears were led by Lindsey Carey and Emma Elrod who had 11 points. Elrod was 4-8 from the field goal range, 1-1 from the three, and 2-2 on the foul line.

Up Next: This is the final game for the Golden Bears of the 2022-23 season. Women's basketball will return to play in the winter season of 2023-24.