BOX
SCORE
NASSAU, Bahamas - The Babson College women's basketball team
came back from a 12-point second-half deficit to take the lead over
Hardin-Simmons University before falling to the Cowgirls in
overtime, 84-75, in the championship game of the Bahamas Sunshine
Shootout on Sunday night. Babson first-years Kathleen King
(Framingham, Mass.) and Nicole Wurdeman (Rowley,
Mass.) were both named to the All-Tournament Team after
combining for 51 points and 24 rebounds in defeat. The Beavers'
will now head into their holiday break with an overall record of
6-4.
Hardin-Simmons (6-2) never trailed in the first half, beginning
with a quick 13-5 just five minutes in. Wurdeman got the Beavers
going by scoring the team's first 13 points and bringing Babson to
within two (13-11) for the closest margin of the period. A set of
free-throws from junior Sarah Hughes (Wellesley,
Mass.) to end the half made the score 34-28 in favor of
the Cowgirls going into halftime.
The Beavers outscored their opponents, 43-37, in the second half
to send the contest into overtime. Hardin-Simmons kept the lead
until there were eight minutes remaining, when Babson sophomore
Kristy Benoit (Shrewsbury, Mass.) came off the
bench to record two consecutive steals which resulted in layups to
tie the game at 55-55. A layup from sophomore Amanda
Grammel (Leominster, Mass.) off a Cowgirl turnover then
gave the Beavers their first lead of the game, 57-56, with just
under seven minutes remaining.
Babson kept the lead until Hardin-Simmons tied the game with
just 47 seconds left. Wurdeman put in a layup to put the Beavers up
by two with 28 seconds on the clock, but Hardin-Simmons senior
Kristen Harris (Shallowater, Texas) answered back to tie the game
at 71 with just 13 seconds remaining. Neither team was able to get
a shot off before the buzzer as the contest went into overtime
knotted at 71-71.
In the extra session, Hardin-Simmons came out strong scoring the
first four points. The Beavers were never able to catch up as the
Cowgirls used a 10-2 burst to run away with the 84-75 victory.
Wurdeman ended the game with 27 points and 11 rebounds for the
Beavers and King tallied 24 points and 13 rebounds. Sophomore
Becky Bowman (Melrose, Mass.) led Babson in
assists with six and Benoit added five steals.
For Hardin-Simmons, tournament Most Valuable Player Lindsey
Newcombe (Keller, Texas) had 18 points and 13 rebounds. Harris also
had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Other high
scorers for the Cowgirls were Mollie Brawner (New Braunfels, Texas)
with 13 and Haylee Allen (Buffalo Gap, Texas) with 16.
