Brown University
5-3
Providence
7-1
Women's Basketball Wins Inaugural Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament
12/4/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Sophomore guard Taylor Will scored a game-high 22 points and earned Tournament MVP honors as Brown University won the inaugural Ocean State Tip-Off Tournament with a 77-70 win over Providence College in the championship game on Sunday afternoon at the Pizzitola Sports Center.
"I'm proud of our team. When you get up to this level, you don't get many opportunities to win a trophy so it means a little bit more," Brown head coach Sarah Behn said. "For us to win this tournament is a big deal."
The Bears (5-3) turned a one-point deficit with 8:04 to play into a seven-point lead with 1:46 left behind 3-for-3 shooting from behind the 3-point arc and a 15-7 streak overall, knocking the Friars (7-1) – off to their best start since the 1990-91 season – from the ranks of the unbeaten.
Will (Arlington Heights, Ill.) sank 3-of-4 shots from distance en route to her 22 points and led all scorers in the tournament with 18.5 points per game. She scored over 20 points for the third time this season.
Sophomore forward Mary Butler (Bangor, Maine) – an All-Tournament Team selection – recorded her first career double-double, netting a career-high 14 points and tying a career best with 11 rebounds. She shot 7-of-12 from the floor and ranked second in the tournament in rebounding (8.5 per game) and field goal percentage (.625).
Sophomore guard Shayna Mehta (San Francisco, Calfi.) tallied 13 points and five assists, and freshman guard Abby O'Keefe scored a career-high 12 points for her first collegiate game in double figures. O'Keefe hit two 3-pointers in a 67-second span during Brown's 15-7 run in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore forward Erika Steeves (Montreal, Quebec) corralled 10 rebounds to go with six points and five assists. She led the tournament with 10.0 rebounds per game. Junior guard Megan Reilly (Norwood, N.J.) added seven points and three assists.
Brown beat Rhode Island 76-65 to reach the title game while Providence topped Bryant 62-51 in the semifinals. Bryant won the third-place game, defeating URI, 62-56. The Bears swept all three of their Ocean State rivals last season.
"Providence shoots the ball really well, and we did a great job," Behn said. "We were close on the rebounds. We kept our composure a little bit better and executed down the stretch a little bit better than we have in some of the other tight games that we have been in."
Brown took a 12-6 lead following the opening tip behind five straight points from Mehta before the Friars closed the first quarter on an 11-0 run to bring a 22-14 into the second period.
The Bears responded with nine straight points to open the second stanza with Reilly, Will, Mehta, and Butler all converting baskets. A 9-2 spurt put the hosts up 32-27 with 2:02 to go until halftime as Butler knocked down a pair of jumpers. Brown led 34-29 at the break.
The hosts moved ahead 44-35 at the 5:13 mark of the third quarter after a 3-pointer from freshman forward Kathleen Ryan (Clarence Center, N.Y.) before the Friars pulled within 46-43 at 2:54. A triple from Will gave the Bears a 51-45 lead, and they still led 51-49 entering the fourth frame.
Providence capped a 7-0 spurt to gain a 52-51 advantage with 8:04 to go, but back-to-back 3-pointers from O'Keefe and Mehta pushed Brown back ahead for good. Butler's layup with 1:46 remaining gave Brown a 66-59 margin, and the Bears made 5-of-6 free throws in the final 21 seconds to seal the win.
For Providence, Yoyo Nogic (22 points, 4-of-4 3-pointers) and Clara Che (nine points, five assists) both earned All-Tournament Team honors while Maddie Jolin netted 18 points. Bryant's Sydney Holloway, and URI's Charise Wilson rounded out the All-Tournament Team.
"I feel like our team is really buying into what we're trying to work on and being unselfish. I'm proud of all of them," Behn said. "It was a great weekend for Brown and a great weekend for all four teams that participated."
Next, Brown plays at Vermont on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 11:30 a.m. prior to breaking for finals.
Ocean State Tip-Off All-Tournament Team
MVP: Taylor Will, Brown
Mary Butler, Brown
Yoyo Nogic, Providence
Clara Che, Providence
Sydney Holloway, Bryant
Charise Wilson, Rhode Island
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.
