Jan. 20, 2007

Box Score

PROVIDENCE, R.I.--Yale's six-game winning streak came to an end Saturday afternoon, as the Bulldogs (8-8, 1-1 Ivy) dropped a 67-60 decision to Brown (3-13, 1-1 Ivy) at the Pizzitola Center. Brown's Catherine Schaper had 18 of her career-high 21 points in the second half, as the Bears overcame a six-point halftime deficit to post the comeback victory.

Brown tried to neutralize Erica Davis, who had 21 points and 11 rebounds when the teams met last weekend, and opened up in a zone defense. Yale took advantage, building a 19-6 lead 5:34 into the contest. Yale's lead reached a game-high 15 points when a three-pointer by Brittani Nichols made the score 34-19 with 6:23 left in the half. After a Stephanie Marciano basket made it 36-21 in favor of the Bulldogs, Brown ended the half on an 11-2 run to trail by just six, 38-32, at halftime.

Yale shot 53.8 percent (14-of-26) in the first half, including a blistering 88.9 percent (8-of-9) from three-point land. Jamie Van Horne had 12 first-half points on four treys. Brown shot 54.2 percent (13-of-24) during the game's first 20 minutes.

The Bulldogs opened the second half on an 8-2 run and took a 46-34 lead on a Van Horne three at the 18:00 mark. That bucket was Yale's last for the next 10:54. During that span, Brown went on an 18-1 run to take a 52-47 lead. Yale's only point during that stretch was a Melissa Colborne free throw.

The Bulldogs used the long ball to get back in it, and cut Brown's lead to two at 62-60 on Van Horne's three-pointer with 40 seconds left. Annesley O'Neal made five of six free throws, and Yale missed three attempts in the final 40 seconds, to seal the 67-60 Brown comeback.

"We didn't do two of the things you need to do down the stretch in a close game," Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach Chris Gobrecht said. "We gave up offensive rebounds and turned the ball over."

Van Horne notched a career-high 21 points, all on three-pointers, and set a school record for three-point percentage in a game, going a perfect 7-for-7. She also tied the school mark with seven treys. Marciano was the only other Bulldog in double figures with 11 points. She added six assists and four steals. Colborne tallied seven points and a career-high 10 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end. Davis was limited to just five points and four rebounds before fouling out. Ashley Easley, who made her first career start for the injured Chinenye Okafor, contributed five points and two assists.

The Bulldogs shot 40.8 percent (20-of-49) from the field, but shot just 26.1 percent (6-of-23) in the second half. Yale shot 68.8 percent (11-of-16) from three-point land, and outscored the Bears 33-0 from behind the arc. The Bulldogs shot 64.3 percent (9-of-14) from the free throw line and outrebounded the Bears 31-29.

Christina Johnson had 10 points off the bench for Brown, and O'Neal added nine points and a team-high six boards. Courtney Lee dished out six assists for the Bears. Brown shot 53.1 percent (26-of-49) from the field and 71.4 percent (15-of-21) from the charity stripe. The Bears held a 36-12 advantage in points in the paint, and the Brown bench outscored the Yale bench 40-11.

The Bulldogs return home, where they are 5-1 this season and have won five straight, for a pair of conference games next weekend. Harvard visits the John J. Lee Amphitheater Friday at 7 p.m., and Dartmouth comes to town at 7 p.m. the following night.

NOTES: Yale lost for the first time this season when leading at halftime...The Bulldogs are 1-18 all-time at the Pizzitola Center...Okafor missed her first game since Dec. 1, 2005...Yale's first four baskets were three-pointers...The Bulldogs drained 11 treys in a game for the first time since Feb. 15, 2003, a 94-92 triple overtime loss to Princeton...For the second time in three games, the Bulldogs held their opponent without a three-point basket.

Report filed by Joe Clifford, Yale Sports Publicity