This past weekend, the women’s basketball team finished out its regular season with a win, a loss, and another Red Hawk joining the illustrious 1,000-point club. RPI brought back a 60-50 victory over the Clarkson University Golden Knights on Friday, before falling 79-72 after extra minutes against the St. Lawrence University Saints.
Senior Whitney Coleman arrived at 1,005 career points in RPI’s game against the Clarkson Golden Knights last Friday. With 12 points on the game, Coleman became only the 11th player in RPI history to reach 1,000 points. However, Coleman was not alone in double-digit figures; senior Elizabeth Barker had a game-high double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, senior Caitlyn Charest put up 12 points, and freshman Sarah Wetmore scored 10, all helping the Red Hawks to win. The game marked RPI’s 10th win in the conference and 18th on the season, extending their win streak to five.
Although the Red Hawks came out with a win, the game was a close contest until the final minutes. In the first half, both teams were plagued by turnovers, and neither could find its rhythm until the end of the first half, when both teams scored from behind the arc on their final possessions. The second half was different in that RPI gained momentum with a quick run, only to yield the lead to the Golden Knights moments later. But the final went to RPI, who went on a 12-2 run in the remaining minutes of regulation.
The Red Hawks on the day had a distinct advantage, taking 71 shots to Clarkson’s 38, even though RPI was a mere 29.6 percent from the floor. However, even though they had a playoff spot guaranteed, the Red Hawks headed into their final regular season game against St. Lawrence with second seed in the upcoming Liberty League tournament on the line.
RPI played a tough closing game against the St. Lawrence Saints, but ultimately lost 79-72 in overtime play. RPI used its momentum to take an early 14-4 lead, forcing St. Lawrence to catch their breath on a time out. Afterwards, the Saints fought hard against a tough RPI defense and commanding offense, taking a 10-point advantage into the second half.
The latter half of the game was even more exciting than the first. The Red Hawks took the lead with an early rally, only to lose it again on a 12-3 run by the Saints. However, RPI’s defense continued, keeping the score close and bringing it to a 51-51 tie with 8:08 left in regulation. The clock ran out with a last-minute foul by the Saints, and a missed half-court shot by RPI sent the game into overtime tied 67 all.
Although senior Kerry Hayes bucketed a three-pointer late in overtime, the Red Hawks lost their 71-70 lead after being only 1 for 10 in the extra five minutes. RPI lost its fourth game in the Liberty League, finishing 10-4 in the conference and 18-6 on the season. With the win, the Saints improved to 17-7 and 10-4 in the league, clinching the second seed in the Liberty League semifinals. They will play the Red Hawks again next weekend. RPI, now with two overtime losses to St. Lawrence, hopes for revenge. See you there.
