Dartmouth Falls Hard at Hartford in Season Opener

Saturday, November 15

Hartford, Conn.

2:00 PM

Dartmouth College

Hartford

Women?s Basketball Announces 2008-09 Schedule

Dartmouth Falls Hard at Hartford in Season Opener

11/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

By: Dartmouth

Boxscore

HARTFORD, Conn. ? The nation's longest home winning-streak will live another day as the Hartford Hawks defeated the Dartmouth women's basketball team in the season-opener for both squads, 73-40.

The Hawks, who are receiving votes in the ESPN/USA Today top-25 poll, opened the game by unveiling their 2008 America East Championship after going 28-6 and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season. Dartmouth had a much improved second half but it was too late and Hartford took the final, 73-40.

Turnovers ? 27 total - plagued the Big Green throughout the afternoon though both teams crashed the boards hard and the Hawks held just a slight 40-36 advantage.

Hartford shot an impressive 48 percent from the floor in the first half while holding Dartmouth to just 17 percent shooting. The Big Green's 19 first-half turnovers made it even harder to break the seal on the basket.

Dartmouth scored the first bucket of the game thanks to junior Betsy Williams (Norwich, Vt.) and skipped out to an early 4-2 lead following a pair of made free throws by Brittney Smith (Fort Worth, Texas). Lisa Etienne started the Hawks on a mini 5-0 run but a jumper from senior guard Koren Schram (Batewville, Ark.) pulled the Big Green back within two, down 8-6 at 15:04.

Hartford proceeded to rattle off seven-straight points before Williams stopped the run with a jumper to make it 15-9 at 12:23, with Dartmouth still in the game. The Hawks turned up the dial during the next six minutes, holding the Big Green scoreless while inflating their lead to 28-9 before Williams hit two free-throws at 6:07.

The Big Green endured another scoring drought late in the half and the Hawks took a 40-14 lead into halftime.

Dartmouth held Hartford in check defensively in the early goings of the second half, but was only able to score four points from the free-throw line in the first seven minutes. The Hawks got their three-point stroke going midway through the half, helping grow the lead to 57-18 after the first of two Katie Smith triples. Dartmouth finally hit its first three off just its second attempt at 10:58 when Schram drilled one from long range.

The Big Green closed the game strong, moving the ball much more effectively than it had in the first half. Sophomore guard Meghan McFee (Manchester, Conn.) came off the bench to score four-straight points followed by Brittney Smith free-throw to make it 65-30.

Dartmouth did not give up and held the Hawks scoreless for nearly six minutes late in the half before Katie Kelley hit a jumper to stop the streak. The Big Green scored eight points in the last 1:38 to take the final to 73-40, Hartford. Dartmouth's ball control improved in the second and the team had just nine turnovers in the half.

Williams finished the game with nine points and tied for a team-high six rebounds. Brittney Smith led the Big Green in scoring with 11 points while Schram added 10. Sasha Dosenko (Kiev, Ukraine) and Bethany Morrison (Little Rock, Ark.) both made their collegiate debut today.

It's back to practice for three days before the Big Green faces another quality opponent on Tuesday night when Big East foe St. John's comes to town for a 7:00 p.m. s