Feb. 3, 2007

Box Score

PRINCETON, N.J.--Despite 25 points and a career-high 18 rebounds from Erica Davis, the Yale women's basketball team (10-9, 3-2 Ivy) dropped an 83-73 decision to Princeton (9-9, 3-1 Ivy) Friday night at Jadwin Gym.

The Bulldogs got off to a good start, jumping out to a 12-5 lead 7:37 into the game. Princeton responded with an 11-2 run to take a 16-14 advantage on a traditional three-point play by Casey Lockwood with 9:42 remaining in the half. Yale never led again, as the Tiger lead reached six when a Jessica Berry layup made the score 24-18 with 5:13 to go before halftime.

Yale chipped away at Princeton's lead for the rest of the period, forcing four ties over the final 3:28 of the half. A Melissa Colborne jumper tied the score at 32-32 with 29 seconds left until intermission. Princeton held for the last shot, and Ariel Rogers was fouled with four seconds left. Rogers made one of two foul shots to put the Tigers up by one, then Berry stole the inbounds pass and drained a layup as time expired to give Princeton a 35-32 edge at the break.

After Davis opened the second half with a layup, Princeton went on a 23-12 spurt to increase its lead to a game-high 12 points at 58-46 on Caitlin O'Neal's three-pointer with 12:25 remaining. The Bulldogs responded with a 12-4 rally to cut the deficit to four, 62-58, with 7:19 left to play. Princeton made six straight free throws to go back in front by 10, but the Bulldogs again cut it to four at 70-66 with 4:09 remaining. Yale got no closer again, as the Tigers made their free throws down the stretch to seal the 83-73 victory.

Colborne notched 17 points for the Bulldogs, and Stephanie Marciano posted 10 points and five assists. Sara McCollum added 10 points. The Bulldogs shot 49.2 percent (29-of-59) from the field and 50 percent (3-of-6) from behind the arc. Yale outrebounded Princeton 38-28.

Meagan Cowher, the Ivy League's leading scorer, had 25 points, four rebounds and four steals for the Tigers.

"Cowher got her 25, but she's going to get her 25," Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach Chris Gobrecht said. "She wasn't what beat us. It was the free throws that beat us."

Princeton attempted 37 free throws and made 30 (81.1 percent), including its first 14 attempts of the second half. The Tigers outscored the Bulldogs 30-12 at the charity stripe and went to the line 21 more times (37 to 16). Princeton had a 15-3 edge in free throw attempts at halftime. Yale shot 75 percent from the free throw line (12-of-16).

Lockwood added 15 points and a team-high six rebounds for the Tigers, and Berry tallied 14 points, six assists and three steals. O'Neal chipped in 13 points off the bench for Princeton. The Tigers shot 46.2 percent (24-of-52) from the field and 38.5 percent (5-of-13) from three-point range.

The Bulldogs return to action tomorrow with a 7 p.m. matchup at Penn. Penn beat Brown 66-57 on Friday night.

NOTES: Davis scored 25 points in a game for the third time this season...Davis now has 1,123 career points, moving her past Autumn Braddock into ninth place on the all-time list...Davis took over the Ivy League rebounding lead from teammate Chinenye Okafor...The Bulldogs forced a season-low eight turnovers and recorded just three steals...Yale had at least four double-digit scorers for the seventh time this season.

Report filed by Joe Clifford, Yale Sports Publicity