The Northeastern women’s basketball team (1-13, 0-5 CAA) took yet another devastating loss at home Jan. 19, this time against the William & Mary Tribe (6-10, 3-2 CAA), 74-66. 

With only seven healthy players left for Northeastern due to injuries, the game quickly became a battle of endurance. The game was one of the loudest in the Cabot Center this season, with a consistent back-and-forth action keeping fans on the edge of their seats. 

Although Northeastern won the tip, William & Mary struck first with a transition jumper, but redshirt sophomore guard Abby Jegede was quick to answer back with a three-pointer to put the Huskies up 3-2. A steal and a transition layup by freshman guard María Sánchez Pitarch increased the Huskies’ lead to 5-2. 

The Tribe took control of the lead back after sinking four foul shots in a row and adding a jumper to go up 8-5. Both teams exchanged steals and baskets to leave William & Mary up 10-7 before the first timeout of the quarter. 

Out of the timeout, redshirt junior guard Natalie Larrañaga made back-to-back layups to put Northeastern up 11-10. The Tribe hit two layups that were answered with two three-pointers by senior guard Camille Clement. The Tribe hit a transition layup after a Northeastern turnover to cut Northeastern’s lead to 17-16 with just over a minute left in the quarter. 

Just as they ended the first quarter, the Huskies started off the second quarter with a shot clock violation, a mistake the Huskies have been suffering from all season. Luckily, the Tribe had a turnover of their own, allowing the Huskies to strike first with a layup from Larrañaga to go up by three. Both teams exchanged shots before two additional made baskets put the Tribe up 22-21. 

Northeastern quickly fought back, going up 26-22 from a three-pointer by Jegede and a jumper from sophomore guard Yirsy Quéliz. Both teams fired off three-pointers before a Northeastern timeout with just over four minutes remaining. Larrañaga made a layup out of the timeout to increase the Huskies’ lead to 31-26 before both teams added two three-pointers each. 

An elbow jumper for William & Mary’s junior forward ​​Kayla Rolph cut the lead to 37-34, but another three-pointer for Quéliz, the eighth of the quarter, increased Northeastern’s lead to 40-34. The Tribe added a foul shot and a buzzer beater jumper to end the quarter 40-37 Northeastern. 

At the beginning of the second half, the Tribe scored first off a putback layup that was quickly followed with a jumper by Larrañaga. The Huskies increased their lead to 47-39 off two free throws by freshman center Alyssa Staten and a transition three-pointer from Larrañaga. The scoring for both teams continued until a timeout called by Northeastern with over three minutes left in the quarter stopped the flow momentarily with the score 49-43. After a layup by Jegede out of the timeout, Northeastern began playing much less disciplined, with two fouls and two turnovers to cut the lead to 51-59. Jegede was fouled and made both her shots from the line, but the Tribe sunk a shot after three missed attempts. To end the quarter, Jegede and Staten made back-to-back layups to raise the energy in Cabot and bring the score to 57-51. 

In such a close game and with Northeastern leading, the atmosphere was electric in Cabot as the Huskies’ goal of getting their first home win came closer to becoming a reality. William & Mary strung together five points to open up scoring in the quarter as tensions rose, but an and-1 opportunity for Jegede brought hopes right back up. 

The Tribe failed to lose their momentum, hitting a three-pointer off a no look pass to tie the game up 59-59. Jegede went to the line and again sank both her shots but was quickly answered with a wide open three-pointer for William & Mary. Both teams added five points each to bring the score to 67-65 William & Mary with less than five minutes remaining in the game. 

William & Mary hit a quick wide open layup to go up 69-65 before both teams sank a foul shot. A costly offensive foul, missed three-pointer and jump ball left Northeastern scoreless for over two minutes as William & Mary used another timeout up 70-66 with just under two minutes remaining in the game. 

Out of the timeout, William & Mary fired off a shot, increasing their lead and forcing Northeastern to use another timeout to strategize for the minute and a half remaining. A missed three-point shot attempt forced Northeastern to foul William & Mary to get the ball back. This foul put William & Mary into the bonus, and they sank both shots to increase their lead to 74-66 with 46 seconds remaining. A missed three-pointer and layup attempt by Northeastern left the Huskies empty-handed and gave the win to the Tribe 74-66. 

Despite being short handed, the Huskies fought hard throughout. Northeastern tied their most three-pointers made in a game for the season, and Jegede and Larrañaga were both a point shy from their season-high point totals. 

The Huskies will next face the Stony Brook Seawolves (8-9, 3-3 CAA) on the road Jan. 24 in their second matchup of the season, looking to be a more competitive force and pick up their first conference win of the season.