Dartmouth Improves to 4-2 After 53-44 Win Over CCSU

Friday, December 5

Hanover, N.H.

6:00 PM

Dartmouth College

4-2,0-0Ivy League

Central Connecticut State

0-7,0-0NEC

Central Conn. St.

Dartmouth

Dartmouth Improves to 4-2 After 53-44 Win Over CCSU

12/5/2025 9:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Big Green are off to their best start since the 2017-18 season

By: Justin Lafleur

HANOVER, N.H. — The Dartmouth women's basketball team outscored visiting Central Connecticut State 19-10 in the second half to turn a one-point deficit into an eight-point lead, on the way to a 53-44 win on Friday evening inside Leede Arena. Cate MacDonald just missed her second double-double in three games, finishing with 14 points and nine rebounds, as the Big Green improved to 4-2 on the season.

Dartmouth is in the midst of its best start to a season since 2017-18, when the Big Green were 5-1 after six games.

Nina Minicozzi scored in double figures for a second straight game, tallying 12 points, six boards and a career-high four steals.

Lucia Noin led CCSU with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

In the third quarter, the Big Green knocked down 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions, all in the span of 1:14, helping them turn a two-point deficit into a six-point lead. Those nine points proved to be the final margin of victory.

Minicozzi 3-pointer gives the Big Green the lead!

Gameday Central ➡️ https://t.co/OQ7ryP17AC #GoBigGreen | #TheWoods pic.twitter.com/Yg6U1MRNWa
— Dartmouth Women's Basketball (@DartmouthWBB) December 6, 2025

Friday marked the second of three home games in six days for Dartmouth.

Score: Dartmouth 53, CCSU 44
Records: Dartmouth (4-2, 0-0 Ivy League), CCSU (0-7, 0-0 NEC)
Location: Hanover, N.H. (Leede Arena)
Date: Friday, Dcember 5, 2025
Attendance: 766

UP NEXT:

The Big Green return home on Sunday to host Bucknell at 2 p.m.

FIRST QUARTER:

CCSU led for much of the first quarter,
A MacDonald 3-pointer gave the Big Green a 7-5 advantage, but the Blue Devils answered with a three on the ensuing possession and led the rest of the stanza.
An Austin layup at the buzzer pulled Dartmouth within 14-13 heading to the second.

SECOND QUARTER:

The teams traded 3-pointers on their opening possessions of the quarter, but the game then saw a scoreless streak of more than five minutes.
The final three minutes saw four lead changes, with CCSU ultimately holding a 23-22 halftime lead.

THIRD QUARTER:

The Blue Devils extended their lead to 26-22, but Dartmouth responded with an 11-1 run, capped off by 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions. Minicozzi, Alexandra Eldredge and MacDonald all knocked down triples to give the Big Green a 33-27 advantage with 6:34 on the clock.
The margin reached as much as 10 at 41-31 following two Olivia Lawlor free throws.
Dartmouth led 41-33 after three quarters of play.

FOURTH QUARTER:

Dartmouth's lead reached 11 early in the quarter after a Tahira Muhammad 3-pointer made the score 46-35.
CCSU clawed back to as close as six, 50-44, following a Jessica Farrell 3-point play.
But the Big Green defense buckled down, holding the Blue Devils scoreless for the game's final 3:03 on the way to the 53-44 final.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

Dartmouth shot 40.4% from the floor (19-of-47), including 28.6% from 3-point range (6-of-21).
CCSU finished at 34.7% (17-of-49) and 25.0% from behind the arc (3-of-12).
The Big Green had 15 assists on 19 made field goals, led by five from Meyer.
Seven different Dartmouth player had an assist.
Minicozzi has 27 points over her last two games.
MacDonald is averaging 9.3 rebounds over her last four games (37 in that span) to up her season average to a team-leading 7.7.

QUOTABLE:
Hear from Minicozzi, Coach Cimino and MacDonald following the victory.