Quinnipiac women’s basketball almost did the impossible.
Down over 20 points in the third quarter, then undefeated Quinnipiac went on a tear to claw its way back into contention against the now 7-0 University of Miami in a thrilling 83-74 defeat.
With momentum on its side, down just two points with a minute and change left on the clock, the Bobcats controlled their destiny.
As the clock ticked down in the fourth quarter, freshman point guard Gal Raviv dribbled to her left and completed an over-the-head pass to sophomore center Anna Foley, who connected on a wide open shot beyond the arc to put Quinnipiac up 65-64.
The Hurricanes would eventually come back to tie the game at 67.
Quinnipiac’s Cinderella story ended in regulation, as overtime became insurmountable against a relentless Miami. Outscored 16-7, the team suffered its first loss of the season.
The Bobcats’ Achilles heel came in the form of graduate student guard Haley Cavinder, who dropped 30 points on 52% shooting. Her three free throws during overtime helped seal the win for the Hurricanes.
Quinnipiac started the game off slow, shots weren’t falling and the Hurricanes went on a heater. Miami scored 23 points in just the first quarter alone.
The second quarter saw the game slowly slip away for the Bobcats, as the group suffered a brutal shooting slump. The team went over four minutes without scoring a single point, and during that time Quinnipiac shot an abysmal 0-7 from the field. The first half came to a close with the Bobcats down 41-26.
It looked like they were shooting themselves out of the game — almost.
As halftime faded and the third quarter began, Quinnipiac came out with a different energy. The Bobcats went toe-to-toe with Miami, ast. Raviv scored 10 points in the third quarter in a game where she put up a career-high 25.
Quinnipiac cut the deficit to just 14 by the time the fourth quarter rolled around. And when it mattered most, the Bobcats had their most dominant stretch of the day.
Quinnipiac’s suffocating defense turned off Miami’s bright lights as it allowed just eight points during the fourth quarter while putting up 22.
But in the end, it wasn’t enough. The Hurricanes found their footing, not missing a single shot in overtime as the Bobcats head back to Hamden with their first loss of the season.
The takeaway is clear — at one point Quinnipiac was down over 20 points, yet no one wavered. That type of tenacity and grit will become an important factor during the back half of the season.
Quinnipiac will take on Yale at home on Dec. 9 looking to get back on track. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.
