When and Where: March 15, 2024– Waltham, Mass. (Dana Center)
What: NCAA East Regional- First Round Game
Score: #4 Thomas Jefferson University 91, #5 Southern New Hampshire University 89 (OT)
Records: SNHU 17-11, Jefferson 31-1
Freshman
Abby Wager (Mansfield, Mass.) scored a career-high 23 points, and senior
Jess Knight (Hanover, Mass.) added 22, but Southern New Hampshire dropped its NCAA East Regional contest 91-89 in overtime to Thomas Jefferson University on Friday night in Waltham, Mass.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Wager – 23 points (7-13 FG, 2-6 3-FG, 7-7 FT), 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block
- Knight- 22 points (9-12 FG, 4-4 FT), 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
- Graduate student Adriana Timberlake (Braintree, Mass.) – 20 points (7-12 FG, 3-4 3-FG, 3-4 FT), 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block
- Sophomore Meghan Gordon (Attleboro, Mass.) – 12 points (4-11 FG, 3-5 3-FG, 1-2 FT) – 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block
KEY MOMENTS
- A back-and-forth first quarter saw Jefferson lead 22-21. The Penmen hit three three-point field goals in the quarter (3-for-5), two by Gordon.
- Jefferson took a 41-37 halftime lead which saw Wager lead the team with 10 points, three rebounds, and three assists. Timberlake, with two fouls, played just 10 of the 20 minutes.
- Neither team had a lead larger than six points in the first half.
- Wager hit a driving layup with 7:12 left in the third quarter to give the Penmen a 47-45 lead, but the Rams would lead turning for home 60-56.
- The teams remained even through the fourth quarter. Morgan Robinson scored with 25 seconds left to put Jefferson up 75-73.
- Knight answered with a layup to tie the game off a sideline feed from Timberlake to make it 75-75.
- The Penmen blocked Jefferson's three-point attempt at the end of regulation.
- Wager hit a three-pointer to open overtime, but the Rams scored the next ten points to open a seven-point lead.
- Timberlake would then hit a pair of three-pointers, but the Penmen fell a bucket short.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Graduate student Macy Spinks (Luton, England) – 6 points (2-8 3-PT)
- Freshman Ava Winterburn (New Boston, N.H.) – 4 points (1-4 FG, 2-2 FT) 3 rebounds
- Junior Sydnie DeVries (Monson, Mass.) – 2 points (1-1 FG), 2 rebounds, 2 assists
- SNHU shot 31-61 (50.8%) for the game to 37-77 (48.1%) for Jefferson
- The Penmen hit on 10-26 (38.5%) three-point field goals to 3-for-12 (25%) for the Rams
- The Penmen hit 17-19 (89.5%) from the line and Jefferson was 14-18 (77.8%).
- SNHU had a 35-34 rebounding edge, and an 11-4 edge on fast break points
- Jefferson turned the ball over just five times to 18 for the Penmen, and the Rams had a 15-6 edge on points off turnovers.
- There were 14 lead changes and the game was tied 10 times.
NOTES
- Jefferson leads the all-time series with the Penmen 3-0. SNHU also faced the Rams in the East Regional Semifinals last year, a game Jefferson won 62-49.
- The Rams were ranked third in the nation in this week's WBCA Coaches poll and 10th in the D2CSC poll. They won the CACC Championship to earn a sixth straight trip to the NCAA tournament.
- Timberlake wraps up a terrific career as SNHU's third-leading scorer all-time (1,634 points) and her three three-pointers give her the program record of 217.
- Knight finished the season with 994 career points.
- The Penmen have made three consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament and five overall (1-5 record).
- Over the past three seasons, SNHU went 60-26 (.698).
WHAT'S NEXT
- Jefferson will advance to the NCAA East Regional Semi-Finals to play Bentley on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
