COLLEGEVILLE, PA. - The Ursinus College women's basketball team was unable to overcome a slow start in the first half as they dropped a 68-53 contest to Dickinson on Tuesday night in Centennial Conference action.
With the loss, the Bears fall to 2-10 on the season and 2-5 in conference play. Meanwhile, the Red Devils improved to 5-7 and 4-4 in the Centennial.
Freshman Chinwe Irondi led the Bears with a team-high 24 points and 8 rebounds. Sophomore Sarah DiLello added 8 points and 5 rebounds. Charlotte DiLello posted 8 points and 6 rebounds off the bench.
The Red Devils jumped out to an early 12-2 lead after a three-pointer from Jennifer Kremp rattled home. Dickinson stretched the lead to fourteen after back-to-back baskets from Kate Montgomery made the score 16-2. Sarah DiLello responded with back-to-back three-pointers to cut the deficit to ten after the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the ball found Irondi in the paint and her turnaround jump shot fell home to give the Red Devils an 18-10 lead with 9:18 remaining. Both teams struggled over the next four minutes until Dickinson's Clair Marion found the open lane and her layup made the score 23-11. Irondi scored the final six points in the quarter for the Bears as they went into the break, trailing 32-21.
Dickinson would start the second half scoring five straight points after a Montgomery layup and Kremp three-pointer stretched the lead to sixteen. Irondi would respond with back-to-back baskets for Ursinus, but the Red Devils answered each time with a jump shot from Montgomery and Kremp made the score 42-25, with 6:57 remaining in the third. Kremp's third triple of the quarter extended the Red Devils lead to 22 points. The Bears responded with an 8-2 run that would cut the deficit to 51-35, but after two free throws and a Caitlin Blackman layup, Dickinson lead 55-35 through three quarters.
The Bears battled in the fourth quarter opening with a 12-2 run after Sarah DiLello opened with a steal and finished at the opposite end. After a Kelly Grant free throw swished in, the Bears trailed 62-52 with two minutes to go. Dickinson scored the final five points of the contest and left Collegeville with a 68-53 victory.
Montgomery finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds as Kremp led the Red Devils with 20 points including 5 of 9 from 3-point range.
The Bears will have a chance to bounce back on Thursday as they travel to Haverford for a 6PM start.