Brown University
7-3
Saint Peter's
2-9
Mehta Posts Double-Double, Women's Basketball Beats St. Peter's, 80-71
12/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Sophomore guard Shayna Mehta posted her second double-double of the year with 19 points and 11 rebounds to pace Brown University women's basketball past Saint Peter's University, 80-71, on Thursday afternoon at the Pizzitola Sports Center.
In their first game back after a two-week break for finals, the Bears (7-3) gained a 48-27 lead at halftime and maintained their edge throughout the second half despite a charge from the visiting Peacocks (2-9) to earn their fifth straight win.
"We haven't played since December 8, and I'm proud that even though it wasn't pretty, we did what we needed to do to get the win," Brown head coach Sarah Behn said. "That is a good team that we just beat. Their record is not indicative of who they are. They have played a really tough non-league schedule."
Mehta (San Francisco, Calif.) shot 7-of-10 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the free throw line en route to her third career double-double. Sophomore guard Taylor Will (Arlington Heights, Ill.) netted 17 points, converting 9-of-10 free throws. Mehta and Will each scored in double figures for the ninth time in 10 games this year.
Freshman guard Justine Gaziano (Natick, Mass.) registered 14 points and seven rebounds – all offensive – in her first game back after missing the better part of seven games due to injury.
Sophomore forward Erika Steeves (Montreal, Quebec) notched eight points and eight boards while freshman guard Abby O'Keefe (St. Louis, Mo.) tallied nine points and four boards.
With the two teams tied at 12-12 to open the game, freshman Kathleen Ryan (Clarence Center, N.Y.) connected on a wing 3-pointer to make it 15-12. Mehta knocked down a jump shot at the 2:17 mark as the Bears scored the final nine points of the first quarter to bring a 24-14 lead into the second period.
Brown went ahead 28-14 early in the second stanza, capping a 13-0 run in which Mehta scored nine points. After the Peacocks pulled within 33-25 midway through the frame, the Bears closed the half on a 15-2 run to take a 48-27 lead into the break. Gaziano scored all 10 of her first-half points in the final 4:29 of the second quarter.
Saint Peter's pulled within 50-38 early in the third quarter behind an 11-2 spurt before a Steeves old-fashioned 3-point play kept Brown ahead 55-41 with 5:12 to go in the third. Will converted another conventional 3-point play late in the frame as the Bears led 62-52 heading to the fourth quarter.
The visitors cut their deficit to 64-58 with 8:16 left before O'Keefe stemmed the tide with four straight points. Will finished off her second 3-point play of the game to push Brown ahead 71-60 with 4:11 to go, and a Gaziano layup with 40.6 seconds left sealed the win.
For Saint Peter's, Sajanna Bethea recorded a double-double on 25 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 9-of-15 from the floor. Talah Hughes added 12 points, seven boards, and four assists.
Next, Brown makes its lone trip outside the Northeast this season, playing at VCU on Dec. 29 at 1:00 p.m. and at Morgan State on Dec. 31 at noon.
Video of all Brown women's basketball home contests and all Ivy League games, home and away, will be broadcast live on ILDN.TV/BROWN.
Tickets for all Brown women's basketball games can be purchased online, by calling the Brown Athletics Ticket Office at (401) 863-2773, or by walking up to the box office located in the Pizzitola Sports Center, open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
