Comeback Falls Short on Education Day

Thursday, December 21

Hanover, N.H.

11:00 AM

Dartmouth College

5-6,0-0Ivy League

Lafayette

5-6,0-0Patriot

Lafayette

Dartmouth

Nina Minicozzi led the Big Green with 16 points.

Photo by: Kyle Relf

12/21/2023 2:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball

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Dartmouth trailed Lafayette by as many as 16, but refused to go away in a 57-55 defeat

By: Kyle Relf

HANOVER, N.H. — The Dartmouth women's basketball team faced a 16-point third-quarter deficit during Thursday's Education Day matchup against Lafayette before storming back to make it a one-possession game late in the fourth quarter of a 57-55 loss in front of energetic crowd filled with local elementary students.

The Big Green, who now set their sights on Ivy League play, moved to 5-6 on the season. Lafayette improved to 5-6 with the victory.

"I'm proud of the way we responded when we were down," said Linda Cimino, Dartmouth's Gail Koziara Boudreaux '82 and Family Head Coach. "We competed down to the final buzzer, got a couple quick steals, and made some shots down the stretch. We're getting better every day and we continue to move our program forward, and that's what we're looking to do."

Nina Minicozzi, one of two Dartmouth scorers in double figures, was three shy of matching her career high with a team-best 16 points. Victoria Page followed with 15 as she and Minicozzi combined to make seven of Dartmouth's season-high nine 3-pointers. Lafayette was led by Makayla Andrews and Halee Smith, who combined for 35 points. Andrews led all scorers with 18. Doreen Ariik, who ranks second in the Ivy League in rebounds per game, pulled down a game-high 10 for her fifth double-digit performance on the glass this season.

Lafayette had its largest lead, 39-23, at the 4:13 mark of the third before Minicozzi began to heat up, knocking down two 3-pointers in the final minutes of the quarter, including one at the buzzer. First-year guard Meena Tate, who made her first-ever appearance on Thursday, accounted for another Big Green triple to bolster Dartmouth's momentum.

A Minicozzi bucket on the opening possession of the fourth quarter cut the lead to six (42-36), but the deficit returned to double digits after back-to-back scores from Andrews and Smith. 3-pointers from Page and Mia Curtis helped the Big Green come back within six, 48-42, midway through the quarter, and Curtis would chip in additional clutch points with consecutive buckets in the final three minutes.

Clinging to a 52-47 lead with less than two minutes remaining, Lafayette looked to Andrews, who elevated and connected on a jumper that looked to be the dagger. Page gave the Big Green life with another triple, and after a stop on the other end, Ariik knocked down one of two at the line to bring the score to 54-51 with 23 seconds remaining. Page had another look from deep to tie the game, but the equalizer wouldn't go. Andrews' free throws with eight seconds remaining sealed it for the Leopards.

The Big Green totaled 21 points in the fourth quarter, but were hindered by a single-digit output in the second quarter that allowed Lafayette to take a 28-21 lead into halftime. Minicozzi and Page both scored 10 points in the second half to lead the comeback bid.

Thursday's game was the first in a five-game homestand for the Big Green, who open Ivy League play on Saturday, Jan. 6 against Brown. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. in Leede Arena and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+. Single-game and season tickets are available through the Dartmouth Athletics Ticket Office.