After averaging just 37 points a game in losses to Penn and Princeton, the women’s basketball team is looking for a pair of wins — and perhaps a little more offensive production — at Brown and Yale this weekend.
“Really, we’re just taking care of ourselves right now,” head coach Dayna Smith said. “We need to work on offense. … [On] executing both zone and man offenses.”
The Red battled the Bulldogs and the Bears just two weeks ago in Newman arena.
Against Yale, junior guard Allyson DiMagno scored a career-high 23 points, but the Bulldogs’ 42.9 percent shooting from three-point range propelled them past the Red, 67-58. According to Smith, the team will be looking to limit Yale’s shooting prowess with a more efficient defensive effort on Friday.
“[We need] better clos- outs, better communication off some of the down screens, and just awareness of who their shooters are,” Smith said.
The Red fared better in its first game of the season against Brown, winning 60-58 on a traditional three-point play by senior forward Clare Fitzpatrick. The play was Fitzpatrick’s second game-winning shot against Brown in two games. Her layup last February with just seconds remaining also put a dagger in the Bears.
“It’s kind of funny that both games against Brown I hit a game winning shot,” Fitzpatrick said.
Although it came out with a win against Brown, the Red gave up several double-digit leads over the Bears and barely squeaked out a victory. According to Smith, the team also needs to work on tightening up its defensive effort against Brown.
“[We need to work on] containing penetration,” Smith said. “They have a guard, Sophie Bikofsky, who had a terrific shooting night [last game].
In that game, Bikofsky drilled seven three-pointers in just 10 attempts.
With only five games remaining in the season — assuming that the Red’s road game at Dartmouth is rescheduled after being postponed due to Winter Storm Nemo — the team is looking to finish the season on a winning streak.
“We want to win every game,” Smith said. “That’s something [that] as competitors you want to do and you prepare to do.”
Along with Fitzpatrick, the team will bid farewell to seniors Kristina Danielak, Taylor Flynn and Spencer Lane when the season comes to an end.
“I think, you know, individually I just want to end on a good note” Fitzpatrick said. “[We’re looking to] play good basketball, get a few good wins. We’ve worked really hard in the past four years [and we should] end on a good note [and] have fun playing the sport all of us love.”
Original Author: Skyler Dale