DENVER, Colo. – The Yale women's basketball team used some late heroics on Friday to earn a 73-65 win vs. New Mexico State on day one of the University of Denver Classic. On day two of the tournament Saturday against Houston Christian, the Bulldogs nearly pulled off a similar feat. They rallied from a 12 point deficit and got within one of the Huskies with four minutes to play. But this time around the big plays proved elusive for Yale, and Houston Christian held on for a 68-61 win.
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Yale (4-3, 0-0 Ivy League) brought a four-game winning streak into the game. Houston Christian (3-2, 0-0 SLC), who had defeated Denver 63-58 on Friday, led by as many as nine in the first half. The Bulldogs hung close thanks to eight points from first-year guard
Kiley Capstraw (coming off a 23 point effort Friday) and seven from sophomore forward
Grace Thybulle. They trailed 28-25 at halftime.
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The Bulldogs went cold in the third quarter, hitting just two of their first 12 shots en route to falling behind by as many as 12. Still, they moved within striking distance as a three-pointer from junior guard
Klara Astrom in the final minute provided a spark. After junior guard
Jenna Clark hit a floater, Yale trailed 49-43 entering the fourth.
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Yale continued chipping away at the deficit throughout the fourth, with Clark contributing a pair of and-ones in a span of less than two minutes. The second of those brought the Bulldogs within three, 55-52, with 5:14 to play. A pair of free throws by junior guard
Elles van der Maas with 4:00 left then got Yale within one. But after the teams traded baskets, the Huskies scored four straight points with a Yale turnover mixed in.Â
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Clark hit another floater with 20 seconds left to get Yale within one again, 62-61, but the Huskies hit two free throws. After a missed three-point attempt by the Bulldogs, Houston Christian finished the game off with a four-for-four performance at the free throw line in the final seven seconds for the 68-61 final.
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Clark finished with a team-best 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Capstraw added 14 points and earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Thybulle added 11 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore guard/forward
Mackenzie Egger had a team-best three blocks.
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The game marked a disappointing end to an otherwise memorable trip to Colorado. In addition to Friday's win, the Bulldogs also got the chance to bring their captain – senior forward
Camilla Emsbo – back to her hometown of Lakewood, as Yale practiced in the Lakewood High gym Wednesday.
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Yale visits UMass Wednesday.
2022 Denver Classic All-Tournament Team
N'Denasija Collins – Houston Christian – MVP
Abbey Sutherland – Houston Christian
Kiley Capstraw - Yale
Emma Smith – Denver
Ashlee Strawbridge – New Mexico State
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