Endicott Escapes Offensive Surge from Women's Basketball

BOSTON, Mass. – Wentworth women's basketball sophomore Erin Morton (Norway, Maine) led three players in double figures with 19 points in a hard-fought setback against Endicott College, 68-63, on Tuesday evening inside Tansey Gymnasium. 

The Leopards used a stifling line from the first quarter, including 50% shooting from the floor and 71.4% shooting from the free throw line, and rushed to a 20-6 lead after the first seven minutes. The Gulls, who struggled from the floor until the second half, were held scoreless for the first four minutes of play, until junior Kaleigh Putnam (Wallingford, Conn.) put down two shots from the line. Wentworth used 12 points from sophomore Stephanie Mini (Topsfield, Mass.) for the hefty advantage, before the Gulls fired back and scored 14 points back in just over three minutes if play to tie the score 20-20 after the first quarter.  

Despite the Gulls' thirst for a comeback, the Leopards regained the upper hand with a layup from sophomore Molley Duclos (Greenfield, Mass.), and protected the lead throughout the half. A layup from freshman Morgan Bresnahan (Wilmington, Mass.) pulled Endicott within a single possession, 26-24, but a deep trey from Mini ignited a 9-3 run to close the first half with the lead in favor of Wentworth, 35-29. 

Endicott got into a rhythm after the break, as sophomore Shannon Gilbert (Easton, Conn.) sunk back-to-back three-pointers to tie the contest 43-43, for the first time since the first quarter whistle sounded. Endicott took its first lead of the game with 2:03 left in the third on a layup from freshman Olivia Duncan (Essex Junction, Vt.), but Morton fired back with a layup of her own to keep the score tied, this time at 45-45. Shots finally began to fall for the visitors, as the Gulls took their largest lead of the game, 60-54, after a made basket at the line from junior Mikaela Rogers (Haverhill, Mass.). 

The Leopards didn't go quietly on their home court, as senior Francesca Matira (Ledyard, Conn.) and Morton teamed up for Wentworth's final eight points and had the game within reach at 65-63. With 11 seconds left in regulation, junior Emily Pratt (Gardner, Mass.) pulled down a pivotal offensive board, giving the Gulls control as the Green and Blue put down three shots at the line to escape Tansey Gym with the 68-63 final.

Morton added six assists and five rebounds to her line, while classmates Mini and Duclos rounded out double digits on the board with 18 and 12 points, respectively. Duclos additionally grabbed a team-high seven boards and had two blocks on the night. All Leopards on the court shot at least 50% from the free throw line, collectively shooting 86.7% as a team. 

Rogers scored a game-high 22 points, and registered the game's lone double-double with 15 rebounds. Putnam followed just behind with 21 points, while Gilbert scored 11 points as the Gulls' third top shooter. 

Wentworth (1-13, 0-6 CCC) is back inside Tansey on Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. tip with Nichols. 

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