By Anthony Gulizia, News Correspondent

The women’s basketball team did something it had never done before last Thursday, defeating conference rival Old Dominion for the first time in school history. The Huskies dropped the Monarchs 100-94 in a triple-overtime thriller, as Northeastern battled its way back from a 10-point deficit going into halftime. Among several great performances Thursday night, the Husky attack was highlighted by the play of sophomore guard Jamie Conroy, who scored a career-high 20 points off the bench. Her efforts in the victory have earned her the honors as The Huntington News Player of the Week.
Head Coach Daynia LaForce-Mann spoke highly of Conroy’s performance Thursday night, attributing her success to her fearless style of play.
‘Jamie is a great asset to our program,’ Mann said. ‘She is aggressive going to the basket and is not afraid to step up and take the big shots. She has been the most improved player from last year’s squad, and she has yet to reach her potential.’
As for Conroy, her success came by simply executing what the coach had asked her to do.
‘It felt good in the fact that I was able to help my team get this victory,’ Conroy said. ‘I didn’t really pay attention to how many points I had, I just tried to do what Coach Mann asked me to do and help my teammates play basketball like we know how to.’
Conroy also highlighted the performances of her teammates, senior forward Kim Carr and sophomore guard Brittany Wilson, who combined for 50 points, and 24 rebounds, as well as the play of freshman guard Afreyea Tolbert, who iced the game with two free throws as the clock was winding down.
Playing basketball for NU was a unanimous decision for Conroy. Although she played varsity softball for four years in high school, she said her true passion lies on the court, not the diamond.
‘It really wasn’t that hard choosing between basketball and softball because basketball is the sport that I love the most,’ Conroy said. ‘I played softball to have something to do between my high school basketball season and my AAU season. I enjoyed playing it but I didn’t have the same feelings that I had when I was playing basketball.’
Off the court, Conroy said she enjoys listening to music, watching movies, hanging out with friends and teammates, cooking and reading. Conroy is pursuing a dual major in criminal justice and human services. As for her future plans, she hopes to stay involved with basketball as long as she can.
‘I hope to always be involved with basketball because it is something that I truly love,’ Conroy said. ‘I can see myself coaching once my playing days are done, but I don’t know when that will be.’
Many athletes dream of such exciting games, ones in which they drive their team towards a thrilling victory. For Conroy, this was a memorable experience, one that she will carry with her for the rest of her basketball career.
‘This was really an amazing game and I am so glad I was a part of it,’ Conroy said. ‘There was so much excitement going on. I have never been in a 3OT game before this and this was a good first time. We showed people that we weren’t going to give up even though we were down at the half.’
‘