The combination of a 19 percent shooting performance by RPI and solid defense by the Dutchwomen of Union proved to be too much for the Rensselaer women’s basketball team to overcome Saturday as the Red Hawks fell to Union 66-39 in the championship game of the UCAA tournament.
After defeating St. Lawrence in convincing fashion by the score of 66-52 on Friday night, RPI seemed poised to earn a trip back to the NCAA tourney, but Union had other ideas.
In the teams’ third meeting of the season, Union dominated the game with timely shooting and a swarming defense that prevented the athletic RPI squad from really getting any solid looks at the basket.
“Union did two things,” RPI Head Coach John Greene said. “They clogged up the middle whenever we tried to drive and they collapsed down on any entry passes we made into the post. We were encountering double teams every time we tried to attack the middle or the low post.”
Rensselaer knew the double teams were coming before they entered the contest, but failed to make the proper adjustments at any point during the game.
“We didn’t stick to the game plan,” Greene said. “We needed to attack the wings on offense and for players to make themselves available when the double teams came.”
RPI was confused and rushed on offense, but despite a miserable shooting display in the first half the Red Hawks trailed by just eight after the game’s first 20 minutes.
“We were out of sync and it was evident after the first three possessions,” Greene said. “We started settling for jump shots, and we also took some three point shots in transition which is something we never do.”
The second half began in almost the same way as the first with Union catching fire and RPI struggling to keep up. Union hit two three-pointers on their first two second half possessions to push the lead to 14.
Union continued to slowly expand the lead, but Greene was proud of the way his team hung tough especially on the defensive end of the floor.
“They never gave up,” Greene said. “They poured everything they had into it on defense. In three games against Union, it has been our offense and not our defense that has cost us the game.”
Rensselaer managed to play the game at their tempo, but failed to convert, leaving Greene and the entire team pondering what could have been.
“The first three possessions started off at the pace we wanted,” Greene said. “If we would have converted, I have a gut feeling it would have been a much different ball game.”
Kristen Kaczynski led Rensselaer with 13 points and Jacqueline Ferrari had five points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
Ferrari, who tallied a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds against the Saints in Friday’s semi-final, was selected to the UCAA All-Tournament Team.
The Red Hawks will now be headed to the ECAC tournament, a Division III equivalent to the NIT, where they will face a familiar foe—UCAA opponent William Smith. Rensselaer won both meetings between the two teams in tight battles. Rensselaer will have to be on top of thier game if they wish to get back to the ECAC championship for the second straight year. Game time is scheduled for 6 pm tonight.
