Jefferson Goes Perfect in CACC Play to Win Championship
CALDWELL, N.J. (March 10, 2024) -- The Thomas Jefferson University women's basketball team held Chestnut Hill College to 39 points while securing themselves an NCAA Tournament bid as the Rams defeated the Griffins 61-39 in the 2023-24 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Championship Final on Sunday. The Rams won the CACC title for the fifth time in program history.
The first half saw a close matchup between the two rival schools. Jefferson held onto a 13-9 lead after the first quarter. Morgan Robinson scored the first two baskets for the Rams and assisting on the next two baskets to Sam Yencha and Emma Kuczynski to make the score 9-4. Avery White made a shot for Chestnut Hill and a Caraline Herb three-pointer had the Griffins down by just four points after the first quarter.
Emily Keehfuss hit two three-pointers while a Yencha and Robinson layup each put the Rams up by 10 early in the second quarter. Chestnut Hill followed with a 12-6 run, getting within four points of Jefferson. Cassie Murphy and Emily Spratt each knocked down the last two shots for the Rams, going into the break up 31-23.
Jefferson shot 14-27 in the first half, shooting 51.9% from the floor. The Rams made 3-7 three-point attempts for a 42.9% clip from beyond the arc. The Griffins had a 45.5 field goal percentage with 10-22 shots going in.
Jefferson opened the game up early in the second half by going on a 16-4 run. The first portion was an 8-0 attack that featured two Kuczynski buckets, a Meinel layup, and two made free throws by Murphy to put the Rams ahead 39-26. Jefferson went into the fourth quarter up 47-30.
Cassie Murphy, Morgan Robinson, and Sam Yencha each led the scoring for the Rams with 12 points. Murphy added five rebounds while Robinson had six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Yencha, who won the CACC Player of the Year award, added 16 rebounds for a double-double. Tournament MVP Haley Meinel had five rebounds and assists each. The Griffins were led by Herb who scored 10 off the bench.