Sacred Heart University Department of Athletics
Hartford
Sacred Heart's Come Back Comes Up Short Against Hartford
12/14/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
WEST HARTFORD, CONN. (December 14, 2014)—Adaysha Williams (LaCrosse, Wis.) led the charge as the Sacred Heart women's basketball team overcame a 16-point deficit against Hartford on Sunday, but fell short in the final minute for a 68-63 loss to the Hawks. The sophomore totaled a season-best 18 points, seven of which came in the final five minutes, as the Pioneers fall to 4-4 on the season.
The Hawks jumped out to a 14-0 lead, thanks to Shanise Bultron's four consecutive triples, holding Sacred Heart scoreless through the first five minutes of the game. With 14:35 on the clock, Gabrielle Washington (Mesa, Ariz.) landed the Pioneers' first basket. She and Johanna Lopez (Silver Spring, Md.) combined for 11 points cutting Hartford's lead to seven, 18-11, and forcing Hawks' Head Coach Jennifer Rizotti to call a timeout.
With time winding down, Katie Shepard (Lone Tree, Colo.) found Shelby Hickey on the right wing. The sophomore hit a three with just over two minutes on the clock to minimize Hartford's lead at three points, 32-29. The Hawks extended their lead in the final minutes to head into halftime leading 38-31.
The Pioneers put up four points to open the second half, allowing them to keep it a close game. Chipping away with the Hawks' lead alternating between three and five points, Washington and Lopez laid in back-to-back buckets within 10 seconds of each other to tie the game at 51 forcing Rizotti to call another timeout with 9:13 remaining in the game. The senior and junior each posted season-high games with 15 and 12 points respectively.
The tie broke in the Hawks' favor as they made three baskets right out of the break before an Adaysha Williams (LaCrosse, Wis.) and one snapped the streak. Williams was on fire down the stretch cutting Hartford's lead to just one point so that Lopez could give SHU it's first lead of the game, 58-57, moments later.
The teams exchanged baskets knotting the score at 60 and 63 before Hartford's Cherelle Moore made two jumpers giving the Hawks a 67-63 lead entering the final minute.
The Pioneers return home Wednesday, Dec. 17 to host Siena at 7:00 p.m. Sacred Heart will be collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots in the lobby of the William H. Pitt Center before the game. Any fan who brings a new, unwrapped toy will receive a free ticket to a future game.
