JAMESTOWN, N.D. – In a game where offense was hard to come by down the stretch, the University of Jamestown women's basketball team relied on grit and a critical late bucket to defeat the University of Mary 60-58 on Saturday afternoon at Harold Newman Arena.
Daviney Dreckman provided the decisive points, scoring a fast-break layup with 56 seconds remaining to break a 58-58 tie. The Jimmie defense then stood tall on the final possessions, forcing a turnover and contesting multiple shots to secure the conference victory.
With the win, Jamestown improves to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the NSIC, while the Marauders fall to 8-3 overall and 2-1 in conference play.
After a tightly contested first quarter ended in a 19-19 deadlock, the Jimmies created separation with an explosive second frame. Fueled by a balanced attack, Jamestown outscored Mary 25-12 in the period. UJ shot efficiently and clamped down defensively to take a 44-31 lead into the halftime break, appearing to be in control.
The offense that flowed freely in the first half proved elusive in the second. The Marauders chipped away at the 13-point halftime deficit, outscoring Jamestown 18-10 in the third quarter to pull within five.
The fourth quarter turned into a defensive grind for both sides. The teams combined for just 15 points in the final ten minutes. Mary managed to tie the game late, but the Jimmies never surrendered the lead in the final minute. Despite scoring just six points in the fourth quarter, Jamestown made the plays that mattered most when the game was on the line.
Haidyn Crockett led the Jimmies in scoring with 16 points, including a pair of three-pointers in 30 minutes of action.
Dreckman finished with 12 points and six rebounds, including the game-winning basket. Allie Berns stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, eight rebounds, a team-high five assists, and four blocked shots.
Jessika Lofstrom was a force on the glass, pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds (13 defensive) to go along with eight points.
For the Marauders, Emily Jaenke led all scorers with 17 points, knocking down five three-pointers.
Jamestown returns to the court on Thursday, December 11, when they host Bemidji State at 7:30 p.m.
