Brown University
Princeton
Women's Basketball Pushes Princeton in First Half in 83-57 Setback
2/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Junior Rebecca Musgrove and freshman Shayna Mehta each scored in double figures, but Brown University women's basketball fell to Princeton University, 83-57, on Saturday night at the Pizzitola Sports Center.
The Bears (13-11, 1-9 Ivy) remained within 38-35 of the Tigers (19-4, 8-1 Ivy) – the preseason favorites to win the Ivy League – before the visitors outscored the hosts 25-10 in the third quarter to gain control of the game.
"We gave a much more respectable performance than we did at Princeton," Brown head coach Sarah Behn said. "They're tough to beat. They have such an inside presence, and they have the perimeter shooting."
Musgrove (Plainview, N.Y.) paced the Bears with 14 points alongside four assists, four rebounds, and three steals. Mehta netted 12 points with four boards. Each guard scored in double figures for the 14th time this season.
Senior guards Jordin Alexander (Fishers, Ind.) and Ellise Sharpe (Tipp City, Ohio) and freshman forward Erika Steeves (Montreal, Quebec) chipped in eight points apiece.
The Bears opened the game with a 12-2 lead just over five minutes into the contest off 12 straight points. Steeves keyed the run with a pair of 3-pointers. Brown remained ahead at 15-4 after a step-back trey from Mehta and at 18-8 on a triple from senior Natalie Ball (Orlando, Fla.) at the 2:32 mark. Brown held a 20-18 after the first quarter.
Princeton pulled ahead, 22-20, behind an 18-5 run with 8:55 to play in the second quarter. Mehta responded with another step-back 3-pointer, and Musgrove hit a trey of her own to tie it at 26-26.
After a transition layup from Sharpe put Brown up 29-28, the Tigers used an 8-0 run to pull ahead 36-29 with 2:09 left in the half. Musgrove tallied the hosts' last six points on a trio of jumpers to keep Brown within 38-35 at the intermission.
The Tigers started the second half with seven consecutive points to pull ahead 45-35 prior to a layup from Mehta. An Alexander jump shot and two free throws from Sharpe helped Brown stay within 51-41 before another 7-0 run from the visitors. Mehta converted a basket in the paint before the end of the quarter to make it 63-45 heading to the fourth frame.
Princeton maintained control in the final 10 minutes, holding a lead of 20 or more points over the final 8:47.
For Princeton, all five of the team's starters scored in double figures. Michelle Miller and Alex Wheatley each scored 14 points, Amanda Berntsen netted 13, Annie Tarakchian finished with 12, and Vanessa Smith had 11. Tarackchian and Smith each grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.
Next, Brown plays its final road games of the regular season at Dartmouth on Friday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. and at Harvard on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m.
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.
