On Thursday Nov. 14, the University’s women’s basketball team lost to the Wagner Seahawks, 70-57 in the Multipurpose Activity Center. The loss moves the Hawks to 0-2 for the season while Wagner breaks even at 1-1. Senior forward Chevannah Paalvast led MU in scoring with a double-double compiling 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Sophomore guard Jasmine Walker added a career-high 12 points, and six rebounds. Fellow sophomore guard, Kasey Chambers also added a career-high with 10 points.
As for Wagner, Jordyn Peck delivered 21 points and seven rebounds, while guard Jasmine Nwajei added 20 points and six rebounds. Lyndsay Rowe scored 14 points and added eight rebounds, while Ugo Nwaigwe compiled a game-high 11 rebounds and eight blocks.
This was a game full of streaks for both squads. In the first half, the Hawks soared to an early 6-2 lead on four points from Paalvast and a transition basket from Walker. However, Wagner responded on an 8-0 run to gain a 10-6 lead. During that streak, Nwajei led the Seahawks with four points.
The game was tied up at 14-14 after Paalvast added a pair of transition buckets, The blue and white then held the lead until Nwajei delivered an off-balanced basket in traffic to put the Seahawks up 25-24 with 2:45 left in the first.
To close the half, MU went on an 8-1 run highlighted by Chambers sinking a three-pointer before the buzzer. The Hawks entered halftime with a 32-26 lead. At half, Paalvast was leading all scorers with 16 points and five rebounds.
The blue and white opened up the second half with a basket by Paalvast to extend their lead to eight. However, Wagner scored the next seven points to bring the game within one. After the Seahawks tied it up at 40-40, the Hawks went back ahead by four when senior forward Sara English converted back to back buckets from the paint.
MU had a consistent lead until Rowe hit a three-point shot to put the Seahawks on top 49-48 with just 4:34 remaining in the game. That three sparked a Wagner 12-2 run bringing the score to 60-50 in the Seahawks’ favor. MU would not come any closer than seven points for the rest of the game.
Wagner outshot the Hawks, 35.2 percent (19-54) to 32.8 percent (22-67) from the floor, 30.0 percent (6-20) to 18.2 percent (2-11) from beyond the arc and 65.0 percent (26-40) to 50.0 percent (11-22) from the free-throw line. The Seahawks also held an edge in rebounds, 50-43.
Similarly to last game, the Hawks struggled from the free throw line, hitting just 50 percent. “I feel like we have to get there more in the game,” explained head coach Jenny Palmateer in regards to occupying the free throw line.
The game saw multiple stretches of fast break opportunities, but the Hawks were unable to capitalize on their chances.
“We want to run. I told them that I don’t care if we never run a play if we can run it effectively,” Palmateer said.
The Hawks return to action on Friday, Nov. 22 when they travel to Connecticut to take on the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in the Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Classic. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 pm at the Gampel Pavilion.
PHOTO COURTESY of Jim Reme
