Endicott Tops Blue Basketball in ECAC Quarterfinals

BEVERLY, Mass. – The Wellesley College basketball team closed out its 2013-14 season with a hard-fought 58-51 loss to Endicott College on Wednesday evening in the ECAC Tournament Quarterfinals. The second-seeded Gulls improve to 21-7, while the Blue end their season with a 16-10 mark.

Three players recorded double-doubles for the Blue in senior Leslie Leong, junior Morgyne Weaver, and first-year Ailis Hanley. Leong racked up 12 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals, to finish her Wellesley career with 1,092 points, 698 rebounds, 215 assists, and 157 steals. Weaver recorded a team-high 14 points with 10 boards, while Hanley notched her first-career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Endicott was led by sophomore Kelsey Cuddy who recorded game-highs of 18 points and six steals. Kayleen Whall came off the bench for the Gulls posted 14 points, while Julie Manning added eight. Samantha Crough led Endicott with 11 rebounds, while Jennifer White added eight.

The first half was a close battle, ending with the Blue on top, 30-29. Both sides shot well and played good defense, only committing four fouls apiece. Cuddy paved the way for Endicott with nine points while Leong posted 10 and Weaver added nine for Wellesley.

Cuddy drew first in the opening minutes with a pair of layups, but Leong answered back with a quick layup and a deep trey. After going bucket for bucket by the halfway mark Wellesley gained a five point advantage at 15-10. After a short jumper from the Gulls' Jennifer White, the Blue's Morgyne Weaver notched conventional three-point play to take an 18-12 lead with 8:19 remaining in the half.

Back-to-back Hanley jumpers increased Wellesley's lead, but Endicott's Whall and Cuddy each drained a pair of treys to take give the Gulls a one point edge. In the final seconds of the half, Weaver nailed a deep jumper to give Wellesley the 30-29 lead at the break.

In the second half, both sides struggled to find the hoop as neither team earned scored until the 17:40 mark when Hanley sunk a foul shot for the Blue. Following the bucket, Endicott rattled off a 9-0 run, taking a 38-33 lead with 12:30 remaining. 

Wellesley battled back to within one on a Kendall Bianchi jumper that just toed the three-point line, but again, Endicott surged, as a Nicole Catizone three capped a 10-3 Gulls run, making it 48-41 with six to play. 

The visitors were able to keep things close however, putting together a run of their own, and a Weaver three gave the Blue their first lead in 12 minutes. That would prove to be the last Wellesley point however, as Endicott surged for eight unanswered to close out the game.

The Blue had a chance under a minute remaining, only down by two, and playing tight defense. However, a Whall three that beat the shot clock with :19 seconds remaining in the game, erased any home of a Wellesley comeback. 

Endicott will take the court next on Saturday, March 8th at 4:00 p.m. when they host #6 Framingham State, who upset #1 Emmanuel this evening. At 6:00 p.m. #4 Smith will take on #8 Brandeis to wrap up semifinals play. The winners of both games will compete for the ECAC Championship on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The rest of the tournament is set to be hosted by Endicott at MacDonald Gymnasium.