BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The #21/11 Thomas Jefferson University women's basketball team (13-2, 5-0 CACC) got out to a 7-0 advantage and did not surrender the lead the rest of the way in a 68-52 victory at Bridgeport (7-8, 3-4 CACC) on Saturday afternoon.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Rams netted the first seven points of the contest, four by Sam Yencha and three from Cassie Murphy. The Purple Knights did not even attempt a shot until the 7:09 mark after turning the ball over on each of their first five possessions. After missing its first two shots and committing another turnover, Bridgeport got on the board and scored four points to make it a 7-4 game. The Purple Knights trailed 11-8 before seven consecutive Jefferson points upped the margin to 10 (18-8) with 43 seconds left in the opening quarter. It was 18-10 entering the second.
 
The Rams posted the first bucket of the second period to restore a 10-point advantage (20-10). Bridgeport managed to close the gap to six (22-16) before four points from Jefferson brought the difference back to double digits (26-16) with 7:01 left. Both teams then went scoreless for nearly two minutes before the Purple Knights hit a jumper at the 5:07 mark. The Rams came back with four points for a 12-point cushion (30-18) before Bridgeport ended the half with a three. Both squads struggled from the field in the half, with Jefferson shooting 33.3% (12-of-36) and Bridgeport converting at a 27.6% rate (8-of-29).
 
The teams went back and forth early in the third quarter. The Rams were ahead by 10 (36-26) with 5:43 on the clock before a pair of threes by the Purple Knights, sandwiched around a Jefferson layup, made it a six-point game (38-32) with 3:21 remaining. However, the Rams answered with six points in a row to increase their lead to 12 (44-32). A Bridgeport jump shot at the buzzer made the score 44-34 heading into the final frame.
 
Jefferson opened the fourth with a 7-2 run to up the margin to 15 (51-36) with 8:30 to go. The Purple Knights narrowed the gap to 11 (51-40) but the Rams pulled away with a 7-1 surge for their largest lead of the game (58-41) with 5:20 left. Bridgeport got within 10 (60-50) with 2:34 on the clock but made just one shot the rest of the way as Jefferson went 6-for-6 at the line down the stretch.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Sam Yencha: 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting, 8 rebounds
Morgan Robinson: 16 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, 1 block
Haley Meinel: 13 points, 4 steals, 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Emma Kuczynski: 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Cassie Murphy: 5 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals, 1 assist
 
JEFFERSON AS A TEAM
FG: 21-of-61 (34.4%)
3PT: 1-of-4 (25.0%)
FT: 25-of-31 (80.6%)
 
NOTES
- The Rams recorded double-digit steals for the fifth straight game and 10^th time this season.
- Morgan Robinson registered her fourth double-double of the campaign.
- It was the first contest with Jefferson and Bridgeport as conference opponents since February 12, 2005.
 
UP NEXT
The Rams travel to Goldey-Beacom for another conference game on Tuesday, January 10^th at 6 p.m.