Junior center Brianne Comden scored a game-high 21 points to lead four Eagles in double figures as the University of Mary Washington women's basketball team defeated Randolph-Macon College, 67-49, on Thursday morning in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Eagles improve to 7-1 on the season.
The first two quarters were tight throughout. In the first, neither team led by more than three points, and the lead changed hands three times with a pair of ties. Senior forward Sarah Listenbee made all three of her shot attempts en route to six points in the frame.
In the second, Listenbee opened with a jumper, and a Kendall Parker three pointer and free throw gave the Eagles a 24-15 advantage with 6:45 left until halftime. The Eagles pushed their lead to 10, at 27-17, with a Meghan Comer basket with 4:00 on the clock. The Jackets seemed to seize momentum, closing the gap to 30-28, before Parker hit a three pointer to send ther Eagles to intermission with a 33-28 advantage.
Comden made arun all her own to start the third quarter, hitting four straight shots as the Eagles built a 40-30 lead with 7:27 left in the frame. An Elizabeth Dofflemyer three pointer gave UMW a 14 point cushion, at 48-34, with 3:26 remaining. The teams traded points in the final minutes, and the Eagles went to the fourth quarter with a 52-40 lead.
In the fourth, the Jackets were able to cut the margin to 10 on several occasions, but several Comden baskets and a Parker three pointer kept the Eagles' lead at a comfortable level. The Eagles closed the game with a 7-1 run over the final four minutes for the 18-point win.
Comden was 10-14 from the floor en route to her 21 points, and tied for the team lead in rebounds with seven. Listenbee scored 12 points on 5-7 shooting, and also had seven rebounds. Parker had 11 points, including three three pointers, and Comer added 11 points on 5-7 shooting.
The Eagles shot a blistering 54% from the field (27-50), including 5-10 three point shooting, and went 8-14 from the free throw line. Randolph-Macon was limited to 15-57 shooting (26.3%) with 2-12 shooting on three pointers and made 17-27 free throws. UMW controlled the rebounding battle, 41-33.
Mary Washington will be back in action on Saturday when they face Stockton University in San Juan at 12:00 p.m.