PROVIDENCE, R.I. – It may have taken a little longer than expected, but the Yale women's basketball team opened the 2021-22 season with a win at Providence Tuesday evening. The Bulldogs were within seconds of a victory in regulation before a Friars buzzer-beater tied the game 50-50 and forced the extra session. Yale took control early in OT, with five points in the first 90 seconds from sophomore guard
Klara Astrom. The Bulldogs then held on for an exhilarating 63-57 win.
Having to bounce back from the frustration of watching Providence tie the game on a long-distance jumper by guard Janai Crooms as time expired, the Bulldogs drew on their experiences from the unique 20 month span they just went through -- their last game prior to Tuesday was a 60-58 win vs. Harvard Mar. 7, 2020.
"I couldn't be more proud of the team's focus when we came into that timeout before overtime," said
Allison Guth, Yale's Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach of Women's Basketball. "We said 'This is what we've waited for.' We had smiles on our faces and said we believe in each other."
Astrom hit a three after Yale opened OT with a pair of offensive rebounds. Just over 30 seconds later, she sank a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 55-51 -- and the Bulldogs never looked back. Junior forward
Camilla Emsbo's fourth block of the game denied a three-point attempt that could have tied the game with 93 seconds left, and Astrom eventually hit four more free throws to seal the victory.
"When the pressure's on and you haven't played in a long time, her going six-for-six from the free throw line in overtime was a big deal for us," said Guth of Astrom's performance.
The Bulldogs were understandably rusty at the start of this game. But after falling behind 8-0, they rallied to get within 10-8 by the end of the first quarter. Sophomore guard
Jenna Clark contributed five of those points, including a deep three-pointer with 90 seconds left.
With so many new faces on the Yale roster -- eight players had not played in a game -- the Bulldogs needed contributions from newcomers. They got some early from first-year guard
Christen McCann, who scored seven of her nine points for the game in the first half.
"Chris was phenomenal for us," said Guth. "During that cold start, her sweet shooting was huge. She played very composed, and we needed it."
The Bulldogs fell behind by as many as nine in the second quarter, but Clark worked some more magic with an and-one right before halftime to get Yale within 25-19 at the break. She would finish with 14 points -- tied with Astrom for the team high -- while leading the Bulldogs with five assists and four steals.
"
Jenna Clark ran our offense fantastically at the point tonight," said Guth. "She also defended hard against some big, physical guards."
Yale managed to get two of Providence's top players, forwards Emily Archibald and Mary Baskerville (a second team All-Big East honoree last year), into foul trouble in the third quarter. In a span of just over two-and-a-half minutes, each picked up her third foul of the game and headed to the bench. The Bulldogs were within five when Archibald departed with 3:45 left in the third, and just over two minutes later they had the lead. Senior guard/forward
Robin Gallagher's shot from the lane took a friendly bounce and went in to put Yale up 37-36.
"
Robin Gallagher was the X factor tonight," said Guth. "She and [senior forward]
Alex Cade worked well together."
Providence responded with a pair of baskets to take a 40-39 lead into the fourth quarter. The game remained tight throughout the final 10 minutes of regulation, with neither team leading by more than three. Gallagher broke a 47-47 tie with a layup in the final two minutes, and the teams then traded one made free throw each. The Friars got the ball after the second of those free throws and were able to set up Crooms for her dramatic shot ... but the Bulldogs regrouped quickly and finished off the win in overtime.
Emsbo's made free throw in OT gave her a double-double -- she finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. She was one of three scorers in double-digits for Yale, and one of three players with at least six rebounds. Cade finished with eight rebounds and seven points.
"Every kid who got their name called contributed," said Guth. "Our kids bought into the game plan. This was a grind-it-out win."
Yale hosts Northeastern Friday at 5:30 p.m. in the home opener.
