WALTHAM, Mass. — Freshman guard Kristin Brown, North Kitsap High School 2014, provided a career-best 10 points off the bench for Bentley University in the Falcons’ 64-62 loss to St. Michael’s College in a nationally-televised Northeast-10 Conference women’s basketball game at Dana Center, Feb. 14.
With the victory in a game that featured 19 lead changes and a dozen ties, St. Michael’s took the advantage in the battle for the fifth and final playoff berth in the NE-10’s Northeast Division. The Purple Knights (11-12, 6-12 NE-10) grabbed a one-game lead over Bentley (10-14, 5-13 NE-10), as well as both Saint Anselm and Southern New Hampshire, with three to play. The victory also completed a sweep of the season series and gave St. Michael’s control of the tie-breaker should they finish tied with the Falcons.
Bentley, after taking a 60-57 lead on a drive by senior guard Kelsey Mattice with 4:58 left, remained stuck on that number until Mattice hit a short-jumper off the fast break with 15.1 seconds left.
While Bentley was in the midst of that dry spell, junior guard Makenzie Burud buried a pair of three-pointers — one that was banked in with 4:30 to play to even the count at 60-all and one from the top of the key with 2:19 left for the lead. It stayed that way until Purple Knight sophomore guard Indira Evora sank the first of two at the line with 23.1 seconds remaining, making it a two-possession game.
After Mattice raced down court for a short jumper, Burud was fouled with 13.4 seconds left. She missed the first of a one-and-one with the rebound going to Bentley freshman Cassie Smith. Junior guard Jane White threw up a potential tying lay-up for the Falcons but it was off the mark and Evora claimed the rebound as time expired.
The two teams were appropriately even at the half, 32-all, following an opening 20 minutes that featured 15 lead changes, nine ties and no lead bigger than three points.
Over the first 8:16 of the second, Bentley gradually opened an eight-point advantage, 52-44. Mattice led that 18-10 charge with her eight points including a traditional three-point play and a trifecta from the left side.
The next six minutes belonged to St. Michael’s, who put together a 15-6 surge to reclaim the lead at 57-56. That run included five points by Evora and four from Burud.
A jumper in the paint from freshman guard Lauren Green and Mattice’s drive for two put Bentley back on top, 60-57, but there would be only one more basket for the Falcons the rest of the afternoon.
Bentley had the shooting advantage, 40-36 percent, but the Purple Knights had the edge in rebounds (45-38), three-pointers (6-3) and turnovers (11-12).
Bentley’s final home game of the season is Feb. 18, 5:30 p.m. against Southern New Hampshire University.
Brown, was basketball team captain and MVP as a senior at North Kitsap. She played in the West Sound Senior High School All-Star game following her season season, and played AAU basketball with Puget Sound Elite and Total Package. She also helped the track team to two state championships (2011, 2013).
