(Story Courtesy of Trinity University Sports Information Department)
AMHERST, Mass. – The 10th-ranked Trinity women's basketball team knocked off the top-ranked team in Division III in the Third Round of the NCAA Playoffs on Friday night, upending previously unbeaten Christopher Newport University 76-71 to advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals.
The Tigers have now won 27 consecutive games this season, which is the longest in school history and the second-longest active streak in Division III. Trinity snapped Christopher Newport's 43-game win streak, handing the Captains their first loss since December 2019. Trinity also tied the school record for victories in one season, matching the final total in 2016-17 and 2002-03.
Hailey Coleman led the way with a career-high 28 points in tonight's game, hitting 13-of-19 from the field. She also added eight rebounds, four assists, and a team-leading three blocks. Ashlyn Milton hit 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and was 7-for-11 overall from the field on her way to a 20-point night.
The Tigers reach the NCAA Quarterfinals for the first time since Trinity won the D-III National Championship in 2003. Trinity will face Amherst College tomorrow night, following Amherst's 48-45 win over Tufts University.
The Rundown
The two teams traded baskets and were tied twice early in the game, but the Tigers never trailed in the opening quarter of play. Trinity scored four quick points just ahead of the media timeout and led 10-5 at that break in the action. Christopher Newport made its first field goal in more than three minutes after the timeout to cut the lead to three, but Milton immediately answered with a three-pointer to double the lead with 4:18 to go. The lead hovered between three and six points for the next two minutes, but the Captains scored their last points of the quarter with 2:22 to play. The Tigers finished the period on a 7-0 run to take a 25-14 after one.
Christopher Newport opened up the second quarter with a 7-2 run over the first 2:03 to cut the lead down to just six at 27-21. The lead was still six when Trinity scored six unanswered over a 61-second span, taking a 35-23 lead with 6:24 left in the first half. The Captains broke up the run on the next possession to bring the lead back to 10, but Milton answered just seconds later with a three-pointer to keep the Tigers in control.
Both teams struggled to score over the next few minutes but Trinity still led by 11 as the clock ticked under four minutes. Coleman then scored five straight points on her own for what would be the largest lead of the game, putting Trinity in front 43-27 with 3:13 to go in the first half. It was also the largest deficit CNU faced all season. The Captains went more than four minutes without a field goal in the middle of the second quarter, but finally ended the drought with just under two minutes left. Christopher Newport trimmed the lead to 11 in the final 90 seconds, but Coleman once again took over. She hit a pair of shots in the final minute to finish with 19 points on 9-of-9 shooting in the half, and Trinity led 47-35 at the break.
Coleman hit the first two Tiger baskets of the second half, including a straight-on three-pointer to start the second-half scoring. Christopher Newport also starting hitting shots, though, and the third quarter would end up as the first time the Captains outscored the Tigers. Kelly Simmons hit a three-pointer and Milton connected on two from long range to help keep the Tiger lead in double figures. Milton's second came with 2:31 to play and it gave Trinity a 63-50 advantage. Christopher Newport scored the final five points of the quarter, though, and the Tiger lead was down to eight points heading into the final 10 minutes.
The run continued into the fourth quarter for CNU and Trinity didn't score for nearly five minutes to start the period. The top-ranked Captains had made their move, whittling the lead to just two points (63-61) with the 11-0 run. The Tigers missed their first eight shots of the period, which was finally broken up when Milton dropped in a layup to make it a 65-61 game just ahead of the media timeout with 5:31 to play.
The Tigers survived the rally as CNU missed six straight shots after making it a two-point game. Maggie Robbins knifed through the defense for a layup with just over four minutes to play to take the lead up to six, then Coleman scored on an assist from Robbins at the 3:30 mark to pull further in front at 69-61.
Christopher Newport scored just seconds later to pull back within six, but couldn't put enough shots together down the stretch. The Captains did hit a three-pointer with 1:13 to play that made it 70-66, but Maggie Shipley scored a layup and hit one of two free throws in the final minute to make it a 73-66 Tiger lead. Christopher Newport scored again with under 20 seconds left and Milton iced the game with two free throws and a seven-point lead in the final seconds.
Numbers to Note
Trinity hit better than 46% from the field in the game, holding Christopher Newport to less than 25% shooting on 33 three-point attempts. The Tigers also had 26 assists on 30 made field goals and forced 11 turnovers that turned into 13 Trinity points.
Simmons just missed a double-double after scoring nine points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
Shipley was limited to just 24 minutes due to foul trouble, but led the team with five assists to go with her nine points scored.
Coach Speak
"This is so fun," said Head Coach Cameron Hill, after reaching the quarterfinals for the first time in his career at Trinity.
Up Next
Trinity will face the weekend's host, Amherst College, Saturday at 5:00 p.m.
