TOWSON, Md. - Behind 17 points apiece from Sheree Ledbetter and Krystal Parnell, the Tigers earned a 66-55 win over William & Mary on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers (8-14, 2-9 CAA) snapped a six-game losing streak with the victory.
"I'm proud of our kids and the result they got today," said Coach Joe Mathews. "I think we felt like we've been so close over the last 10 days and it's nice to finally break through and get the victory. I thought we got some good contributions across the board."
The first half of the game was an intense battle that featured seven ties and 10 lead changes in 20 minutes. There were three ties in the first 6:20 of the game. With William & Mary leading 12-10, Parnell scored five straight points to give Towson a 15-12 advantage. William & Mary would score 10 of the next 12 points to take a 22-17l lead with 8:01 to play. A pair of Ledbetter free throws at 7:40 jump started an 8-0 run by the Tigers and gave them a 25-22 advantage with 5:23 to play. The two teams traded baskets over the next few minutes. A Taysha Pye bucket at 2:29 gave the Tribe a 31-29 lead. The Tigers would score the final six points of the half to take a 35-31 lead at the break.
Towson shot 46.9% from the floor and 60% from three-point range in the first half. William & Mary shot 43.3% from the floor but just 20% from three-point range. Parnell led the Tigers at the break with nine points, five rebounds and three assists while Pye had 12 points and five rebounds.
After a bucket by the Tribe's Emily Correal started the second half, Towson went on a 13-6 run to take a 48-39 lead with 13:59 to play in the game. Simona Petronyte had five for the Tigers during that run while Ledbetter chipped in with four. The two teams continued to play a fast paced game, trading buckets at both ends of the court. A Pye lay-up at 8:07 pulled the Tribe to within four, 52-48. However, that was as close as the visitors would get the rest of the way. A pair of Ledbetter free throws as 7:19 started a 12-0 run by the Tigers. That run allowed Towson to open up a 64-48 advantage with 2:12 to go. Parnell tallied four for the Tigers during that stretch. William & Mary would score seven of the final nine points in the game to make it an 11 point margin of victory for the Tigers, 66-55.
The Tigers finished the game shooting 46.4% from the floor, their highest shooting percentage since January 20 against Hofstra (44.3%). Towson also shot 62.5% from three-point range. William & Mary shot 43.4% from the floor and 30% from behind the arc. Towson held a 34-29 advantage on the boards while forcing 22 Tribe turnovers. The Tigers scored 24 points off those 22 turnovers.
Ledbetter added six rebounds and two assists in addition to her 17 points. Parnell, who scored in double figures for the fourth straight game and fifth time in the last six games had a solid all-around afternoon. She added six rebounds, five assists and a steal to her 17 points. Petronyte finished with 14 points on four buckets from behind the arc. Dovile Miliauskaite tied Parnell and Ledbetter with six rebounds. Miliauskaite's day on the boards also included the 500th rebound of her career.
Pye led William & Mary with 18 points and six boards while Correal finished with 10 points. Jaclyn McKenna led the Tribe on the boards with seven.
Towson returns to action on Thursday, February 10 when it hosts Delaware. The Blue Hens and sophomore scoring sensation, Elena Delle Donne will be at the Towson Center for a 7 p.m. game.
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