With the win, Dartmouth (4-9, 1-0 Ivy) is now on a three-game winning streak while New Hampshire (3-10) continues to struggle, as the Wildcats have dropped seven straight.
The hard-earned victory included standout performances from several Big Green players. Betsy Williams '10, a 2006 Hanover High School graduate, responded to hometown cheers with a career-high 17 points.
Williams acknowledged that having her friends and family in attendance was a major factor in her impressive play against New Hampshire.
"My hometown friends were here today, so there was extra motivation for me today," Williams said.
Koren Schram '09 made six of 12 shots and contributed 16 points, including four baskets from beyond the three-point arc. Sydney Scott '08 and Brittney Smith '11 both came through with double-doubles.Head coach Chris Wielgus said she never doubted that her team could turn its season around, even when the team was struggling through a tough non-conference schedule. Wielgus was terse after the game.
"This team has really grown, hasn't it?" Wielgus said.
In the first half, New Hampshire grabbed the early lead with a 10-1 run featuring a trio of three-pointers, as their shots fell despite an admirable Big Green defense. Dartmouth did not let the game get out of hand in the first, however, and the score seesawed back and forth throughout the half. Going into the locker rooms at halftime, the Big Green held a slender 27-26 lead.
Wielgus set up her defense to stop Wildcat sharpshooter Amy Simpson. The Dartmouth defense concentrated on stopping New Hampshire's long-range attack, as the Wildcats rely heavily on three-point shooting.
"Everything that they did was off of staggered screens," Wielgus said. "We put one person on No. 21 [Simpson] at all times and made her put it on the floor and it worked."
Coming out of the locker rooms, both teams struggled to shift into offensive gear. After an early media time-out, however, the pace of the game quickened and shots began to fall for both teams.
In the second half, Dartmouth worked its entire offense. Schram and Williams caught fire from behind the three-point line. Scott and Smith connected on both field goals and free throws, as the Big Green made every scoring opportunity count.
Dartmouth managed to get to the foul line 21 times in the game, and shooters made good on 15 of those opportunities. The Big Green played intelligent defense as well, giving the Wildcats only 14 chances to take shots from the line. New Hampshire capitalized on only six of those free throws.
As the clock wound down, New Hampshire's fate was sealed, as the Big Green closed with a 17-5 run. The most notable moment came when Williams drove to the lane for a lay-up, was fouled, and completed a conventional three-point play, bringing the crowd to its feet.
Though Dartmouth built up a sizeable lead in the second half, Wielgus said she never rested easy, knowing that New Hampshire's streaky three-point shooting team can get back into a game very quickly.
"I'm never comfortable against UNH," Wielgus said. "I told my players when we were six points up that [the Wildcats] were only two three-pointers away from tying the game, and they actually did tie it then."
Exceptional rebounding, which has been the Big Green's strength all season, was on display again, as Dartmouth held a 46-31 advantage in that category. Wielgus expressed confidence in her team's ability on the boards.
"We out-rebounded Iowa," Wielgus said. "We can rebound against anybody."
Dartmouth will take on yet another out-of-conference opponent when the Big Green travels to face Holy Cross on Monday, Jan. 14.
