WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Endicott's women's basketball team led by as many as twenty points on Sunday afternoon as they defeated host Eastern Connecticut State University 56-42 in the championship game of the ECSU Tip-Off Tourney Championship.
After taking a 4-2 lead, the Gulls stayed ahead for the final 37 minutes of play and improved their record to 2-0 on the young season.
Endicott junior Samantha Crough (Cohasset, Mass.) led the way for the Gulls with 15 points on 7-17 shooting. Her three-pointer with 3:42 left in the first half, one of two hit by Endicott players in the game, gave the Gulls a 27-10 lead, their biggest advantage before the break.
A 7-0 run to open the second half, capped by a three-pointer by Jennifer White (Lisbon, N.H.), gave the Gulls an 18 point lead at 38-20, and that lead did not dip below 14 until under two minutes left in the game.
White contributed 11 points, including 6-8 from the free-throw line, where Endicott as a team was 12-20.
Senior guard Jen McBrien had a game-high 14 rebounds, helping Endicott outrebounded the Warriors 51-29. Four of McBrien's boards were on the offensive glass, and Endicott's 16 offensive rebounds led to a 12-2 advantage in second chance points for the Blue and Green.
Shannon McCourt (New Fairfield, Conn.) and Taylor McBride (Willimantic, Conn.) each had 8 points for the Warriors, who shot 30% from the field.
Endicott shot 38.2% for the game, helped by freshman Kayleen Whall (Foxboro, Mass.), who went 3-7 from the field and scored 9 points.
Junior Jordan Ferland (Charlestown, N.H.) poured in eight points on 4-9 shooting to go with nine rebounds and a team-high 3 assists. Crough and White each had three blocks, with Crough picking up three steals as well.
Crough was named Tournament Most Valuable Player after scoring 10 points in Endicott's win on Saturday over Connecticut College. She was joined on the All-Tournament team by White and McBrien.
The Gulls will travel to MIT on Tuesday evening for a 6:00 game against the Engineers before the Thanksgiving break.
The Warriors will play the same night at 7:00 pm at Emmanuel.
