COLLEGE BASKETBALL RIC women lose in NCAA Div. III semifinal
PROVIDENCE — How impressive was Washington and Lee’s Mary Schleusner?
This impressive: Schleusner snared an NCAA Division III Tournament record 33 rebounds and scored 34 points as the No. 19 Generals outlasted No. 2 Rhode Island College, 61-55, in a sectional semifinal game on Friday night.
The Generals (29-2) will play No. 7 Wartburg (28-2) at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in the sectional final with a berth in the Final Four at stake. Wartburg edged Bates, 54-53, in the other semifinal.
Regardless of what defense the Anchorwomen (29-1) deployed, nothing worked against this 6-foot-1 sophomore center on Friday night.
“When we saw we were coming to Rhode Island, we started watching them play,” W&L coach Christine Clancy said. “It was a pretty good matchup for us.
“It was just another day for Mary. She’s always breaking records. I think Mary’s presence inside made them really nervous when they got around the rim. They weren’t finishing some shots that they’re capable of finishing.”
Not only did RIC shoot a frigid 27.9 percent (24-86) overall from the floor but it also hit only 13 percent (3-23) of its 3-point shots.
“I would say we really struggled to put the ball in the basket,” RIC coach Jenna Cosgrove said. “I think (Schleusner) definitely has a presence in the paint to alter shots. Our layups weren’t falling. Forget our outside shots. Our layups weren’t falling.
“I think she did alter our ability to score.”
Angelina Nardolillo led RIC with 15 points while Sophia Guerrier and Olivia Middleton chipped in with 10 apiece.
Sarah Zimmerman (13) and Hannah Malik (10) were the other Generals who reached double figures.
The Anchorwomen delivered a hint of what was to come early in the first quarter when they missed eight of their first nine shots.
W&L, conversely, received a onewoman show from Schleusner as she scored all of her team’s points in the first. W&L led, 12-9, at the quarter.
Whether she was hitting jump hooks or base-line shots, Schleusner (who also blocked five shots) dictated how the game would be played, especially considering she stepped on the floor leading the nation in rebounding and double-doubles (she now has 26).
RIC forged a 22-22 tie with 4:26 left in the first half on a 3-point shot by Middleton. But the Generals went off at the half leading 29-24 due in part to a trey by Hanna Malik.
W&L threatened to break the game open in the third quarter when it went on a 14-5 run to build a 45-35 lead. But RIC refused to buckle under and gradually chipped away at its deficit until it pulled to within 56-53 on an Izabelle Booth trey with 25 seconds left.
Two free throws by Schleusner were countered by a Middleton layup, which made it 58-55 eight seconds later.
After the Generals missed a shot, Jayda Bing snared a rebound and passed the ball up court but Claire Greene missed a potential, game-tying 3.
Schleusner and Zimmerman then combined to sink three free throws, whick dropped the proverbial hammer on RIC.
“We had to get another stop,” Booth said. “I think at that point we had to foul. That was the main focus and we didn’t want any time coming off the clock.
“It was a matter of getting stops.” After the game, Cosgrove tried to summarize the season.
“I told them in the locker room they made the largest impact that anyone in my life has,” she said. “Just the positivity and the love they shared and the support has been everything.
“It’s amazing to share every day with them. This was my second recruiting class. This team is definitely the most talented and enjoyable group I’ve had coaching in my career, even surpassing the team we had last year (which reached the Final Four). They’ve raised the standard of this program to a level that everyone will have to live up to from here on out.”
While Cosgrove will remain the coach for the future this was the end of the road for Booth, a fifth-year senior.
“I know what I’ve done for the school and the community,” the Newport native said. “It’s still growing. For the community at RIC, I love it.
“The support we’ve been able to have and what we’ve shared with other sports has been amazing. A lot of them showed up tonight which meant the world to us. As for Rhode Island as a whole, I hope they continue to support their local athletes as they pursue college athletics in the state.”