Big Green Topped by Yale in Defensive Battle

Friday, January 6

Hanover, N.H.

6:00 PM

Dartmouth College

2-14,0-2Ivy League

Yale

7-8,1-1Ivy League

Yale

Dartmouth

Mia Curtis ’24

Photo by: Chris Poss

1/6/2023 9:22:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Highlights

The Big Green dropped a 57-47 decision despite a gritty defensive effort

By: Kyle Relf

HANOVER, N.H. — Playing at Leede Arena for the first time in more than three weeks, the Dartmouth women's basketball team dropped a low-scoring affair to Yale, 57-47, Friday evening in Ivy League action.

The Big Green dropped to 2-14 (0-2), while the Bulldogs improved to 7-8 (1-1).

Both sides shot worse than 30 percent from the field in the first half as Yale held a 17-16 edge heading into the break. The Bulldogs knocked down the lone 3-pointer of the opening half (1-of-12), while Dartmouth was 0-of-8 from beyond the arc. Both sides found a rhythm offensively in the second half, but it was Yale's hot shooting down the stretch that ultimately sunk the Big Green as the Bulldogs shot better than 55 percent from the field and connected on 5-of-6 from downtown over the final two quarters. Yale turned the ball over a season-worst 24 times against a tough Dartmouth defense.

Mia Curtis paced the Big Green offense with 15 points, three shy of tying a season-high, while Mekkena Boyd was a factor on both ends with 11 points and five steals. Olivia Lawlor grabbed a career-high eight rebounds. Yale's three-pronged attack of Klara Astrom, Jenna Clark and Kiley Capstraw each scored in double figures, combining for 33 points. Astrom, who led the team with 12 points, was 4-of-8 from the perimeter.

Yale jumped out to a 9-2 lead, eventually forcing a Dartmouth timeout midway through the first quarter, but the Big Green responded to cut the lead to two by the start of the second. Olivia Lawlor scored out of the timeout to provide some offensive momentum while Dartmouth deployed tough defense and forced several turnovers. Boyd picked off a Bulldog pass and converted on the other end with a clear path to the basket to bring the score to 11-9.

With points still difficult to come by in the second, Dartmouth was able to take a lead in the first two minutes after another Lawlor bucket and Curtis' trip to the charity stripe. Grace Thybulle and Kiley Capstraw scored consecutive buckets to put Yale back on top by three. Facing the same deficit with seconds remaining before halftime, Victoria Page sunk a stepback jumper to bring Dartmouth back within one. The Big Green forced 13 turnovers in the first half to hold Yale to a season-low 17 points.

Shooters began to heat up in the third quarter as the score suddenly jumped to 26-26 after Page's 3-pointer at the 6:08 mark. Curtis drained a triple on the previous trip down the floor, and Yale had the answer – part of a series in which points were scored on seven straight possessions. Dartmouth held a one-point edge, 29-28 at the 4:44 mark of the third after Boyd drained a 3-ball from the top of the key. Yale responded with Alstrom's triple and never trailed again.

Starting the fourth with a nine-point edge, the Bulldogs shot 63.3 percent from the field to close out the game, though they were only able to outscore Dartmouth by one point over the final 10 minutes. Emma Koch's layup with just over a minute gone in the quarter ended a lengthy scoring drought and give the Big Green some life, but Alstrom's pair of 3-pointers, including a dagger at the 4:19 mark, soon helped Yale claim its largest lead of 17 points.

Dartmouth is in action again at Leede Arena for the second of back-to-back home Ivy League games as the Big Green host Brown on Saturday, Jan. 7. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+. Fans will also be able to listen to an audio broadcast via Dartmouthsports.com.