Long Beach State Fends Off Dartmouth

Friday, December 16

Long Beach, Calif.

6:30 PM (3:30 PM PST)

Dartmouth College

2-9,0-0Ivy League

Long Beach State

5-3,0-0Big West

Dartmouth

Long Beach St.

Grace Niekelski ’25

Photo by: Josh Barber

12/16/2022 9:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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A gritty second-half performance fell short on the opening day of the Beach Classic

By: Kyle Relf

LONG BEACH, Calif.— The Dartmouth women's basketball team put together a strong second-half effort after facing a 19-point halftime deficit to cut the lead to nine, but ultimately dropped a 69-55 decision to Long Beach State on the first day of the Beach Classic.

The Big Green dropped to 2-9 on the season, while the Beach improved to 5-3.

A strong third quarter, which saw Dartmouth outscore the Beach 16-11 provided hope after a turbulent start. The Big Green put together another 16-point quarter in the fourth, but Long Beach State matched bucket-for-bucket to hold on for the victory.

Two Dartmouth players scored in double figures as Grace Niekelski posted a team-high 15 and Mekkena Boyd followed with 10. Mia Curtis went 3-of-5 from downtown to finish with nine points. Tori Harris and Malia Bambrick led a balanced Beach attack with 13 points apiece, while Kristyna Jeskeova logged a 15-rebound, 10-point double-double. The Big Green shot 41.7 percent from the field, including a 54.6 percent showing in the fourth quarter, to Long Beach State's 47.5 percent.

Dartmouth faced an 11-0 deficit before getting on the board with Mia Curtis' 3-pointer and after a stop on the other end, Anna Nelson knocked down another as the Big Green quickly cut the Beach lead to five. Long Beach State's ensuing 8-0 run was ended when Emma Koch sank a floater in the paint. The Big Green and the Beach traded buckets in the final seconds of the quarter for the hosts to lead, 21-10.

The second quarter saw Long Beach State extend its lead and eventually hold a 32-15 edge after Harris' steal and layup at the 5:58 mark. Dartmouth answered with Carrington Washburn's and-one, but the Beach offense continued firing, stretching the lead to 18 on Kennan Ka's 3-pointer and later 22 after a Patricia Chung layup. Curtis knocked down a much-needed triple with seven seconds remaining in the half.

Dartmouth trailed by 21, 53-32, with just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter until Olivia Lawlor's layup off a nice find by Anna Nelson provided a spark for Dartmouth's offense enough to make a 7-0 run to end the quarter. Niekelski's jumper preceded Boyd's bucket, and Niekelski later knocked down 1-of-2 from the line, while the Big Green defense continued coming up with key stops.

Dartmouth grabbed momentum in the opening minutes of the fourth when Curtis sunk a deep 3-pointer to cut the lead to 11 and force a Beach timeout.

.@miacurtis2020 from way downtown 🎯https://t.co/fmgcEzvarA | @ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/gKBOI8NvSI
— Dartmouth College WBB (@DartmouthWBB) December 17, 2022

The Big Green got a stop out of that break and Allie Harland cut the lead to single digits with her offensive rebound and putback. After trading scores, the lead was back to 12 after Kian Hamilton-Fisher's triple. With less than five minutes remaining in the quarter, Long Beach State made a final run to sink Dartmouth, 69-55.

The Big Green are set to take on UC Irvine, who fell to Southern Miss in Friday's opening game, on Saturday at 4 p.m. EST. A matchup with No. 12 Iowa awaits after the conclusion of the Beach Classic.