BALTIMORE, MD – The No. 3/3 Johns Hopkins women's basketball team regained the lead on the first basket of the fourth quarter and never looked back, defeating McDaniel, 50-43, Wednesday evening inside Goldfarb Gymnasium. With the win, the Blue Jays earned their 21
st consecutive victory—a Centennial Conference record—and improved to 21-0 overall and 12-0 in league play, remaining one of just four unbeaten teams in Division III.
In a game that was a one-possession battle for much of the night, Hopkins trailed by one at halftime but controlled the entire fourth quarter to secure the victory.
After a tightly contested opening frame that featured several ties,
Faith Williamson attacked the basket late in the quarter and drew a foul. She converted both free throws to send Hopkins into the second quarter with a 12-7 lead.
The Blue Jays appeared poised to create separation in the second. A 10-4 run, sparked by an
Emily Collins layup and capped by a
Lauren Knudson midrange jumper, pushed Hopkins ahead 22-11 with 6:12 remaining—the largest lead of the game for either side. McDaniel responded with a decisive 14-0 run over a span of 3:37, swinging momentum and taking a 25-22 lead.
Kendall Dunham answered just before the halftime buzzer with a layup to trim the deficit to one, 25-24, at the break.
McDaniel held the advantage for much of the third quarter before
Stephanie Theodossakos knocked down a pair of free throws to give Hopkins the lead back with 4:08 to play. A 7-0 Blue Jay run, punctuated by a Dunham three-point play, pushed Hopkins in front 35-31. The Green Terror, however, closed the quarter strong and carried a narrow 36-35 lead into the final period.
Dunham opened the fourth quarter with a midrange jumper to give Hopkins the lead for good at 37-36. McDaniel stayed within striking distance, trading baskets with the Blue Jays, but Knudson delivered the dagger with a corner three-pointer with 3:14 remaining to extend the lead to 48-41. Hopkins converted key free throws down the stretch to seal the 50-43 win.
Knudson led the Blue Jays with 16 points and five rebounds, knocking down a pair of three-pointers. Dunham added 15 points, a team-high nine rebounds, one assist and one steal. Though she finished with two points,
Macie Feldman impacted the game across the board with game highs of seven assists and five steals while adding four rebounds.
Johns Hopkins returns to action on Saturday, February 14, hosting Franklin & Marshall inside Goldfarb Gymnasium for Senior Day. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
