BALTIMORE, MD – The No. 5/5 Johns Hopkins women's basketball team used a dominant second quarter to pull away from previously undefeated William Paterson, earning a 64-43 victory on Saturday afternoon inside Goldfarb Gymnasium to open the Johns Hopkins Women's Basketball Classic. With the win, the Blue Jays improve to 10-0 on the season.
Hopkins struggled to find an offensive rhythm early, shooting inconsistently from the field in the opening quarter and trailing 20-17 after one. The Blue Jays stayed within striking distance at the free-throw line, converting 8-of-10 attempts to offset the slow start.
The momentum swung decisively in the second quarter, as Hopkins clamped down defensively and limited the Pioneers to just two points in the frame. A
Macie Feldman layup cut the deficit to one at 22-21 and sparked a 19-0 run over the final 8:34 of the half. Six different Blue Jays contributed during the surge, helping Hopkins take a commanding 38-22 lead into halftime.
Offense was at a premium coming out of the break, as both teams combined for just 16 points in a sluggish third quarter. The Blue Jays shot 4-of-17 from the field in the period but continued to control the game defensively, holding William Paterson to 3-of-17 shooting to maintain a comfortable advantage.
The final quarter mirrored the opening frame with both teams trading baskets, but Hopkins closed out the game efficiently to secure the 21-point victory.
Feldman and
Emily Collins led the Blue Jays with 11 points apiece, each recording a double-double. Feldman added 11 rebounds, while Collins pulled down a game-high 13 boards. Defensively,
Grace Soltes anchored the paint with two blocks as
Layla Henderson paced all players with four steals.
Johns Hopkins returns to action on Sunday, January 4, on the final day of the JHU Women's Basketball Classic, hosting Rowan inside Goldfarb Gymnasium. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
