WASHINGTON D.C. — WASHINGTON D.C. (WTKR) — Nothing could stop the William & Mary women from making history.
Not having to play four games in four days, not playing the top seed in the Coastal Athletic Association Tournament, and starting the title game in a 14-point hole.
The Tribe roared back from the double digit deficit against Campbell on Sunday to complete their shocking run in the league tournament, beating the Fighting Camels 66-63 to punch their ticket to the program's first ever NCAA Tournament.
After getting out to a 14-0 start, Erin Dickerson Davis' group hunkered down and cut the lead down to 34-26. After going back and fourth through the third quarter, an 11-5 run to end the frame seemed to give momentum to W&M.
With 6:45 to play, the Tribe finally took their first lead of the game on a Cassidy Gedes three-pointer to make it 56-55. Campbell would respond with a Gemma Nunez layup, but Bella Nascimento punched right back with a layup of her own to make it 58-57.
They would never give the advantage up again. Nascimento made three clutch shots down the stretch, along with a Anahi-Lee Cauley basket, to stretch the lead and hold on to pull of the Cinderella story run.
Nascimento's performance will go down in the history books for the program. The senior guard scored a game-high 33 points, including 20 in the second half, on 14-of-26 shooting to lead the way for the Tribe. Rebekah Frisby-Smith posted 12 points on four three-pointers and Cassidy Gedes chipped in 10 points off the bench.
It's the ultimate "out of left field" run for the program, which dropped seven of its last eight games to close out the regular season.
Now the Tribe prepare for their first ever chance to dance in the NCAA Tournament.
