Sports, Basketball, Women's Basketball

Eagles Lose Consolation Game of Baha Mar Women’s Championship 54–49

T’yana Todd’s 3-pointer bottomed as the game clock in the third quarter blared. 

Todd recorded her thirteenth point in the game on her three—making sure that the Eagles would head into the fourth only trailing by one point. 

Boston College women’s basketball (6–3) silenced Oregon State (2–5) in the opening 6 minutes of the fourth quarter, but ultimately lost 54–49 in the consolation game of the Baha Mar Women’s Championship.  

“When you look through the stats and even the feeling of the game is that we just need to make more final shots, more shots in general, and play with a little bit more of a flow on that offensive end to generate confidence,” BC head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee said. “Not seeing the ball go through the hoop – I just don’t know that we generated a lot of confidence for ourselves.” 

BC took charge in the second quarter with an eight-point lead. The Beavers turned the ball over twice in the Eagles’ and the Eagles scored six unanswered. Andrea Daley capped off the streak with a mid-range jumper. 

The Beavers responded with a larger run. A skip pass to AJ Marotte gave her the green light for a wide-open three pointer. Marotte didn’t hesitate and made the Eagles pay. No one marked Marotte on the last possession of the half. Her shot from the low post lapped the rim but fell in, giving the Beavers a one point lead. 

And an eight point BC lead was evaporated by a series of defensive blunders. 

The Eagles played clean defense and forced turnovers, but the Eagles were also stifled on offense. Dontavia Waggoner made her second free throw with 7:48 remaining in the fourth to tie the game. 

BC made the first field goal of the quarter with 4:45 left on the game clock.  

When BC finally found their rhythm, Marotte was quick to reply. The Beaver inbound play was played to perfection. Marotte used a screen to get an open look in the corner and swished the 3-pointer. 

“I thought we blocked out really well in the second half,” Bernabei-McNamee said. “I thought that was something that we got better at. We just offensively, didn’t execute as far as like, with the confidence to make shots. I thought about the other parts of the game… I think that was the big difference – or the big difference maker.”

The Beavers made their first trip to the free throw line with two minutes remaining in regulation. 

It took an emphatic and-one from Kelsey Rees. Rees made her free throw to give the Beavers a one-point edge.

Rees did more than just score in the low post. Her five offensive rebounds helped the Beavers as they scored fifteen second-chance points.

With a minute to play, Kaylah Ivey nailed a three. Todd crashed the boards but committed a foul. The Beavers were in the bonus. 

Gifted two free throws, Tiara Bolden made both. With BC trailing and needing to stop the clock, the Beavers were finally making it to the free throw line. The Beavers went 7-for-7 from the free throw line, while BC shot 6-for-12 from the free throw line in the loss. 

Following Bolden’s points, the Eagles would be unable to prevent a Beaver victory. 

“I think the players just gotta keep believing in themselves and what they’re good at,” Bernabei-McNamee said. “I do think that when we took it out and we finished, it was just a matter of not settling as much as we did, and just taking our time and having our feet set for our threes.” 

November 29, 2024

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