CALDWELL, NJ - A national TV audience got a glimpse of one of the best rivalries in the East Region Saturday afternoon, as the women's basketball team and the Caldwell College Lady Cougars treated the country to an epic nip-and-tuck matchup in front of a packed house at Caldwell. When the dust settled, though, it was the Cougars who stood victorious, outscoring the Lady Deacons 19-12 over the final seven minutes to take a 68-61 decision.
The audience who tuned into the telecast on CBS College Sports Network was met with all the trimmings of a backyard brawl; rivals separated by just five miles, a raucous sellout crowd, even a student pep band set to rile up the masses. And from the opening whistle, it was clear the two squads were going to make sure their late-season clash lived up to the extraordinary hype.
The early stages of the contest saw the lead change hands on four separate occassions, with both teams feeling each other out through the opening rounds. The Lady Deacons were able to build the first legitimate advantage of the afternoon, using a 9-4 spurt to take a 27-21 lead with just over five minutes to play. But the Lady Cougars would rebound with an 8-2 run of their own capped by a three-pointer from Kirsty Leedham to close the frame, knotting the score at 29 heading to intermission.
Caldwell made the most of their halftime adjustments, and carried the momentum from the first half into a 14-5 run to begin the final 20 minutes of play. But just when it seemed the game might be getting away from Coach Wimberly's squad, the Lady Deacons fought back with a 7-0 run of their own to claw to within three at 44-41. Suddenly the tide had turned in favor of Bloomfield, who then outscored the Lady Cougars 8-5 over the next 13 points to knot the score at 49 with seven minutes to play.
With the grudge match anyone's to win, it was the Lady Cougars who stormed ahead, riding the hot shooting of Leedham who finished with a game-high 33 points. Caldwell was able to get to the foul line early and often throughout the tilt, connecting on 25 of their 32 attempts and putting the Lady Deacons behind the eight ball in their hopes of mounting a late-game comeback. Caldwell ripped off a 9-2 run and never looked back, despite a late charge from Bloomfield that fell just short.
Tiffany McDaniel was brilliant in the paint for the Lady Deacons in the loss, notching a double-double with 13 points, 13 rebounds and a game-high four blocks.
Dre'Shonda Williams also made her presence felt on the frontline, posting nine points in the defeat. Torey Jones comprised the other half of the two-headed monster for Caldwell, pouring in 16 points while pulling down five rebounds.
The Lady Deacons return to action Sunday, February 28 with a road contest against Wilmington University. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 PM.