Potsdam, NY – A desperation shot by Vanessa Westcott (Parish, NY) in the waning seconds was denied by Nazareth as the Golden Flyers defeated the Clarkson University Women’s Basketball team 46-44 Friday night at Alumni Gymnasium.
The Golden Knights fell to 1-2 with the loss while Nazareth improved to 2-2 on the season. Clarkson faces off against RIT on Saturday afternoon.
Though both teams struggled in the opening possessions, Clarkson was able to gain a five-point advantage five minutes into the game after a 3-point field goal from Vanessa Westcott, to give the Knights an early 9-4 lead. Over the next five minutes, Nazareth battled back to take a one-point advantage, 14-13, but from then on, the Golden Knights controlled play, outscoring the Golden Flyers 17-6 in the final 10:03. Clarkson was able to take control of the game thanks to disciplined play, as the Knights committed their first foul with 7:25 remaining in the half.
Junior forward Mickala Henson (Waverly, NY) came off the bench and made each of her shots from the floor and the free throw line, scoring eight points on 2-for-2 shooting from the field and a 4-for-4 performance from the free throw line. Sarah Wesner (Sidney, NY) was nearly as impressive, scoring 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting. Nazareth was kept in the game by Sarah Homer, who scored eight points on 4-for-6 shooting from the field. Ali Sharpe shot just 2-for-8 from the floor, but contributed more with six rebounds.
Clarkson’s ability to stay out of foul trouble in the first half was erased by the inside play of Nazareth in the second half. Both Wesner and Adrienne Juby (Cold Spring, NY) picked up two quick fouls in the opening minutes of the second half and were summoned to the bench for a good portion of the final 20 minutes. The Golden Flyers took advantage and slowly cut away at Clarkson’s lead, finally taking with less than 10 minutes to go.
Trailing by five points with less than 30 seconds remaining, Westcott made a free throw, then missed a second, which was picked up by Wesner, who then added a put back and a free throw after a foul to cut the lead to one point. The Golden Flyers made three of their final four free throws in the final minutes to narrowly escape with the win.
Neither team shot well in the second half as Clarkson was just 4-for-28 from the floor. Nazareth didn’t produce at a much higher clip, scoring on 7 of 29 shot attempts.
Wesner finished with a game-high 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting. Westcott added 10 points and 6 assists and Henson contributed 8 points, 5 blocks, and a game-high 13 rebounds for Clarkson.
No player for Nazareth finished in double figures, but Sarah Homer and Ali Sharpe each finished with nine points. Sharpe also grabbed 12 rebounds.
