A positive note.
That's all that the Dartmouth women's basketball team wanted to take away from last night's game against the University of Rhode Island.
Despite the heartbreaking 85-82 loss, the team can hold their heads high as they enter the most crucial stretch of their season.
"We've never come close before," Coach Chris Wielgus said of all their previous games against the Atlantic-10 powerhouse.
Coming through in the clutch for the Big Green were Nicci Rinaldi '99 and Courtney Banghart '00. Rinaldi finished the night with a season high 18 points.
"Nicci played really well throughout the game," Wielgus said.
In addition to her solid play the whole game through, Rinaldi's 10 points in the last five minutes were key in shrinking a 13 point URI lead to just one point with just 14 seconds left.
While Rinaldi was scoring with driving lay-ups, Banghart was content to mark up at the three point line. She buried five of eight attempts from long distance, including one with 14 seconds left, to tally 24 points coming off the bench -- also a season best for the rookie.
After Banghart's last minute three closed the deficit to one point, the team immediately fouled URI.
After missing the second free-throw of the one and one, the Rams pulled down the offensive board, forcing Dartmouth to foul again.
After again sinking only half of the one and one, Dartmouth drove down the court, but Rinaldi's shot with one second left kicked off the back of the rim, sealing the URI win.
The turning point in the game was the Rams' 13-4 run just one minute into the second half with the score tied at 40. After URI extended its lead to 13 midway through, the Big Green created an emotional swing, rallying the crowd with steals by Rinaldi and Banghart.
Picking up the ball after a midcourt steal, Rinaldi made a trip to the hoop sinking a lay-up with a little over four minutes remaining, bringing Dartmouth within one point.
Rinaldi's moves opened up a flurry of scoring that resulted in a combined 36 points being scored in the remaining time.
"We're getting better each game," guard Bess Tortolani '98 said. Tortolani had a monumental first half, scoring 13 points, including three for four from three point range.
"The kids tried their darndest to play to our strengths," said Wielgus, "Everyone played with enormous confidence."
The loss moves Dartmouth's record to 6-9, but the most important part of the season still lies ahead.
The Big Green have eleven games remaining, and each of which is against an Ivy rival.
In their immediate future are games at Yale and Brown on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
