MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – The Caldwell College women's basketball team lost its second game to a Florida team, falling to Barry University, 82-69 in a non-conference game Tuesday night at the Health & Sports Center. The defeat keeps the Cougars winless on the season at 0-4, while the Buccaneers, who received votes in the latest ESPN/USA Today Division II Coaches Poll, remain unbeaten at 4-0.
Barry found the basket on their first six possessions of the game, including a three-pointer by Princess Bailey, to jump out to a 13-1 lead. A pair of jumpers by senior forward Janay Perkins (Bronx, NY/Walton) and another by sophomore guard Kirsty Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Acad.), pictured, helped the Cougars cut the deficit to 13-7. But an 11-2 run by the Buccaneers gave the hosts their largest lead of the first half, 24-9 with 10 minutes on the clock.
Barry still held a double-digit lead after Tara O'Malley hit a three to make the score 33-21 with 4:18 left in the half. At that point the Cougars tightened the defense and held the Bucs scoreless the rest of the half. A basket by freshman guard Kaitlyn Lambert (Cumberland, RI/Cumberland), coupled with 9-of-10 free throw shooting, sparked an 11-0 run to pull to within one, 33-32 at the break. Caldwell offset 30.3 shooting from the field by hitting 75.0 percent from the charity stripe in the first half.
Six points by Perkins and a three from Leedham helped the Cougars take their first lead of the game, 41-40 at the 15:37 mark of the second half. The Bucs regained the upper hand with baskets by Kristy Singletary and Bailey, but the game remained close midway through the second half. With the Cougars trailing by three, five points by Lucy Martinez and two from Bailey gave Barry a 63-53 advantage with 7:29 to play. The lead grew to as many as 18 before Caldwell closed out the game with a 7-1 run. The Bucs forced 16 Caldwell turnovers while grabbing 13 offensive rebounds in the second half to break open a close game.
Leedham (26 points) and Perkins (21 points) both recorded career highs in the loss. Perkins went 10-of-17 from the floor and had eight rebounds, while Leedham drained three three-pointers. Sophomore guard Abena George (Elmont, NY/Elmont Memorial) had seven points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals while providing strong defensive pressure. Mariesa Greene led Barry with 23 points and 15 rebounds.
The Cougars begin Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play on Tuesday, Dec. 2, when they host Felician College. The game is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. in the George R. Newman Center.
