LAKEWOOD, NJ (Dec. 7, 2024) - Georgian Court Women's Basketball led by four with less than five minutes to play, but couldn't hold on in a three-point loss, 77-74 to Chestnut Hill. The Griffins outscored the Lions by three in the final frame and that proved to be the difference, dropping GCU to 1-1 in conference play this season.

How it Happened
• For the game, Chestnut Hill shot 46.6% overall to the Lions 36.8%. GCU did connect at 41% from three, hitting nine.
• Chestnut Hill made 20-24 at the foul line, with GCU going just 15-23.
• Georgian Court hung with one of the better rebounding teams in the CACC. The Griffins were just +2, 41-39 on the boards. The Lions also held a 20-14 edge on the offensive glass, but it was CHC who outscored GCU 22-14 in second-chance points.
• Each team turned the ball over more than 20 times and GCU turned 26 turnovers into 28 points while CHC scored just 18 off of 22 GCU giveaways.
• The game featured eight lead changes and seven ties.
1st Quarter
• It was a low-scoring first quarter with neither team leading by more than three at any point.
• Georgian Court led 7-4 halfway through, but Chestnut Hill scored six straight with baskets on three straight possessions.
• The Griffins looked like they would hold a 12-9 lead after one, but Julia Whesper's desperation half-court heave was true and tied the game at 12 after 10 minutes.
2nd Quarter
• Despite the momentum shift from Whesper's three, the Lions couldn't capitalize on it. 
• The teams went back-and-forth for a but, but CHC pulled away late.
• Trailing 23-18, Chestnut Hill went on a 19-2 run to take control of the game and go up by 12, 37-25.
• But there was GCU once again beating the buzzer. This time it was Karissa Smedley with a jumper following a missed free throw to make it a 10-point lead at the half, 37-27.
3rd Quarter
• This time, GCU's momentum did carry over and it started at the three-point line where GCU was 3-6.
• Chestnut Hill actually extended their lead to a game-high 14, 43-29, a little more than a minute into the quarter.
• But the Lions roared back after that. Maria Stanescu made a three to bring the lead back down to 10.
• Then it was Tyra Lovelock bringing the lead down to six, 45-39, with a three-point of her own to cap a 10-2 run.
• Chestnut Hill looked like they were able to withstand the run, scoring five quick points to get the lead back into double-figures, 50-39.
• Whesper made back-to-back layups to make it a two-possession game again with 2:11 left to play.
• Stanescu buried another three, then went 4-4 at the foul line with the final two coming with four seconds left to tie the game at 55 at the end of three.
4th Quarter
• Whesper gave GCU the lead with a layup and Stanescu from downtown hit another, putting the Lions up five, 60-55, with 8:57 left.
• The teams went back-and-forth and the Lions were never able to extend their lead beyond five.
• Stanescu's sixth three-pointer of the game put the Lions up four, 70-66, with 4:26 left to play.
• Chestnut Hill answered scoring eight straight and grabbed a four-point lead of their own, 74-70, with 1:51 to play, helped out by the Lions putting them at the line where they scored six of the eight points during the run.
• Two more free throws made it a 76-71 game with 1:05 left to play before Samantha Jones beat the shot clock with a three and made it a one-possession game, 76-74 with 27 seconds left.
• GCU needed to foul and the Griffins went 1-2 at the line.
• Georgian Court had two chances to tie, with a miss and an offensive rebound, but couldn't connect on either attempt and Chestnut Hill escaped with a 77-74 win.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Maria Stanescua led all scorers with 24 points making six three-pointers with five rebounds.
• Julia Whesper was 4-5 from the field an scored 12.
• Karissa Smedley added 10 points and four boards.
• Destiny Wallace chipped in eight points.

For the Griffins
• Bridie McCann was 5-9 overall for a team-best 16 points.
• Avery White scored 13 with five assists and was 7-8 at the foul line.
• Emily Sekerak was 4-6 overall, 6-6 at the line off the bench to score 14.
• Tiayo Adelekan added 11 points.

News and Notes
• Julia Whesper and Karissa Smedley each scored their 150th career point.
• Maria Stanescu has made six three-pointers in each conference game this season. No Lion has ever made six three-pointers twice in the same season since at least 2010-11, let alone in back-to-back CACC games.
• The Lions 15 steals are their most in a game this season, as are Smedley's five.

Up Next
• Georgian Court will finally slow down a bit and are off until next weekend. They'll play at Millersville next Sunday, Dec. 15 with a 1 pm tipoff.